


Canis Minor

by silenttiger43



Series: Canis Major [2]
Category: Castlevania (Cartoon)
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canis Major, Canon Compliant, Canon Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Hectore/lenore kind of?, I wouldn't call what they have a "relationship", Manipulation, Master/Pet, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Orgasm Delay, Other, Part 1 is basically all Hector, Penis In Vagina Sex, Porn With Plot, Post-Canon, Power Imbalance, Rough Sex, Seduction, Sex, Shameless Smut, Smut, Stockholm Syndrome, Swearing, Trauma, canis minor, multiwork series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:07:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 41,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26532583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silenttiger43/pseuds/silenttiger43
Summary: The voice pleaded with him, that melody of mewling rising from her pale throat as though desperate for something that only he could give her. The dearest sip of water in a world of desert, the promises of what life could be if he gave her everything and he wanted it. In that moment he wanted it more than anything else in the world.---(Hector's struggles with his situation in Styria.Immediately follows season 3)
Relationships: Hector/Lenore (Castlevania), Morana/Striga (Castlevania)
Series: Canis Major [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1979705
Comments: 211
Kudos: 118





	1. Dreams and Nightmares

_~Come with me~_

Lenore’s words echoed in Hector’s dreams

_~Be mine~_

They were sweet like honey, drawing him in and filling his mind with bliss, unaware of their true meaning.

_~Tell me your mine~_

“Mmn yours,” Hector mumbled face down into his pillow, the straw of his cell’s bed still smelled like her and in a half-sleep state it was intoxicating.

_~Tell me you belong to me~_

Hector moaned, fingers curling into the blanket.

~ _Be loyal to me, please,~_ her voice begged, the sweet siren song of all his desires mounting.

“Yes,” Hector panted, hips grinding and pressing into the bed

_~Say it, please, please Hector~_ the voice pleaded with him, that melody of mewling rising from her pale throat as though desperate for something that only he could give her. The dearest sip of water in a world of desert, the promises of what life could be if he gave her everything and he wanted it. In that moment he wanted it more than anything else in the world.

“I… I…” but he hadn’t understood the cost. Blue eyes fluttered open and Hector gasped as he startled awake. Pushing himself back and off the bed of straw, scrambling away from it like it was a pit of snakes. 

Lenore’s hushing sounds echoed in his ears, ~ _Shush shhh, the real people are talking_ ~ dismissing him so easily.

_~Oh my God, you’ve adopted him,_ ~ Carmella’s voice rang through his mind, filled with disgust.

~ _I’ve made you my pet!_ ~ Lenore had declared, so proudly

Trembling fingers clawed through silver hair as he curled in on himself. He had been betrayed, by Lenore’s sweet lies and his own fucking voice. How she had pleaded with him as though she had ever begged for anything in her life. Ha! 

And now his cock still throbbed with the memory of her in those sheets. He stared in horror upon the bed itself, as if the blankets and straw had somehow betrayed him in equal measure. Had her lingering scent brought upon this dream? If that was the case then he couldn’t wait for the remodelling of the old out-building. It would be nice to have a real place of his own if Lenore had even meant what she’d said about that. It was one thing to be trapped in this reality while awake but he very much could not handle his own dreams betraying him as well.

He took a moment to breathe, closed his eyes and tried to summon some happier thoughts. Another time, someone else’s warm embrace that was more worthy of his ill-gotten morning wood. Hector reached down to touch himself, desperate to remember something _good_.

Closing his eyes he focused on a memory of laying in an open field and the warm sun on his skin. He thought of dark brown eyes so deep you could get lost in them. All that gentle warmth and ebony bare skin that contrasted so beautifully against the bright yellow flowers of the field. 

The light tapping of shoes approaching summoned him out of his sweet daydream. Hector curled his knees up halfway to his chest and redid his pants in haste, trying to steady his breathing before the owner of the sound came into view. 

“Good evening!” Lenore greeted him with a sunny smile, her vibrant red hair in perfect waves and curls around her soft pale features. 

Hector didn’t even bother looking at her, moodily settling his gaze towards the desk and chair in the cell, the thing that reminded him _least_ of her, although everything in here had likely been hand picked by Lenore. A place to read on vampiric literature and philosophy… what a joke.

“I have good news tonight Hector,” Lenore purred, unphased by his continued misery at first but when he didn’t even acknowledge her presence she gave a pretty pout and sighed. “Are you still sulking?” 

Hector grit his teeth at that, a flare of anger rising in his gut with a response that was filled with poison, “not at all.” He wasn’t some sulking pup, upset because he got caught peeing on the furniture. He was angry, at _her_ , for ruining his life and leaving him nothing to do about it but stew in the misery of it all. Okay, so maybe he was _slightly_ sulking but staying angry was… exhausting.

“You _are,_ ” Lenore mused, her red gaze flitting curiously around the cell. A tray of untouched food caught her eye and there was something _off_ about how Hector was sitting, or was he just trying to position himself as far from her as possible? “Sulk all you want I suppose but it hardly changes anything other than the level of your own misery.” Lenore pointed out calmly, “not eating also only harms yourself. Hector,” her voice was softer now, filled with gentle concern, “Hector, please look at me,” she pleaded to him softly with her siren’s voice.

Hector’s eyes hardened and he steeled himself to stare more intently at the wood of the chair, stubborn and filled with bitter hatred. 

The sound of metal clicked and hinges creaked as the cell door opened but Lenore remained in the entranceway, not daring to step within. “May I enter?” she asked, still ever so soft.

“As if me saying ‘no’ would make a difference to you,” Hector’s voice growled from his chest. His sapphire eyes, darkened vehemently, they flickered to Lenore briefly before stubbornly turning away again only to bore holes into the chair.

Lenore’s perfect lips pressed together for a moment, “It means a great deal to me actually,” she informed the man, remaining in place just outside his cell. “If you don’t want me to enter then I won’t. But will you at least come out with me?” she asked, the hint of a hopeful plea on her lips.

“No,” Hector curled his knees closer to his chest, shifting uncomfortably and grateful at least that he had clothes on to hide the apparent _evening_ -wood, “if that too is even my choice to make.” 

“It is,” Lenore permitted, watching him closely for a moment before continuing, “I had hoped that you would be more eager to see your new lodgings,” she sighed and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, glancing awkwardly to the side. She had rather hoped that some time alone would let the man cool off and allow him to see reason as well. Apparently, that was not the case, “I’ve had the old outbuilding being worked on night and bloody day so that we could get you out of here and into someplace far more suitable for a man of your talents. I’m sorry that it took so long, you deserve better than this,” she gestured to the pitiful cell that he had been trapped in for two days since the incident of the rings. 

“I suppose that is for you to decide,” Hector drawled viciously, “me being your slave and all. What do I call you now? Master? _Mistress_ ?” His fingers curled into fists, clenching at the loose fabric of his pant legs, “Why do you prefer me to keep the illusion of choice and free will when you so cheerily robbed all that from me and then delighted in my captivity to those twisted whores you call sisters?! What difference does it make if I am here or in some larger, prettier cage? A cage is a cage Lenore, no matter _how_ gilded.”

“You would prefer to be kept as Carmilla sees fit then?” Lenore challenged with a neutral expression, “to be bound and cold and bare for all to see?” she lowered herself down to a crouch, trying to catch Hector’s sapphire gaze with her own. “The first thing that you asked me for, Hector, was boots. Comfort. No one wants to be treated horribly, the size of the cage matters and I have done everything in my power to make yours as hospitable as possible given the circumstances.” she extended her hand to him, an open palm offering but still she never stepped through the door, “I told you from the beginning, that’s diplomacy. It isn’t perfect for everyone but at least we all get something out of it in the end. _You_ finally get to come out of this dingy little cell.”

Hector finally allowed his gaze to fall upon Lenore, the blue of his eyes still clouded with anger and the sting of betrayal but also searching, searching her soft and pretty face for any sign of lies and falsehood. She always seemed so terribly sincere, how on earth did she do that?

“At least just have a look,” Lenore persisted, “and if you really want to come back here then you’re free to do so.” 

Hector snorted an empty laugh at the word ‘free’. But he had just been thinking of how nice it would be to escape that bed and the dreams-nightmares, they were nightmares-that lingered with the scent of the straw and sex soaked sheets. Nightmares that still clung to a half-hard cock between his legs, preventing him from moving lest that secret be discovered. 

With silence and an unmoving Hector as her response, Lenore sighed and shook her head, rising again to her feet and brushing herself off, “or continue to sulk…” she mumbled, the gears turning in her head as she began to contemplate alternatives to the situation. 

“I’ll... I’ll go with you,” Hector interrupted her thoughts although he remained where he sat, “I just… need a moment.” 

Lenore gave him a curious look at that and then smiled as she watched him shift again, still trying to hide his crotch. “Oh! Well, I could help with that too if you’d like?” she offered, hands clasping together in front of her with an immediate brightening to her disposition. 

Hector couldn’t help but let out a soft and slightly bitter laugh at her childlike delight. He shook his head, looking away like an embarrassed teenager who had just been caught with his hand down his pants, “No thank you. I’d rather… _not,_ ” this was horrifyingly awkward to even talk about and Hector fought the flush to remain off his cheeks, “besides it’s not, um… I just need a moment to adjust.” 

“Well aren’t you feeling shy today,” Lenore purred with a glee she either couldn’t hide or didn’t care to.

Hector just shook his head at her, “Well the last time I wasn’t _shy_ it ended with me losing everything,” he chided with that bitter tone again, “so you’ll excuse me if I’m not exactly feeling up to _sharing._ ” 

“Tch. Touchy,” Lenore scolded lightly as she turned her back to Hector comfortably, giving him a semblance of privacy while she kept talking, “How many times do I have to say it, Hector? You haven’t lost _everything_ . You were never going to be allowed to leave this place, I’ve given you _more_ freedoms than before, not taken them away.”

Hector scoffed at her words and eyed those red locks cascading down her back for a moment before he rose to his feet and made to adjust himself. With her back turned to him he had to fight the urge to grab her, snap her neck, smell her hair, break the chair and stake her heart, kiss along her pale throat, and every other conflicting thought that crossed his mind. It took some convincing for his rebellious cock to settle down enough that he wasn’t pitching a tent at least. 

“Fine then,” Hector spoke unenthusiastically as he stood about three feet behind her, just out of reach, “show me this caged _freedom_ you’ve apparently given me. But make it quick, I have more sulking planned for tonight.”

Lenore giggled at the joke and looked back over her shoulder at him, a delighted smile on those soft, kissable lips. Her eyes trailed briefly over his body and then met and held his gaze. It was as though she had known every little thing he had just been thinking about her; the good and the bad and was unperturbed by any of it. They both knew that she could and would overpower him if he stepped out of line but also that with the ring in place, he couldn’t even _try_ to harm her.

The vampire held out her hand for Hector to take and the man hesitated for but a moment. He suspected that this was a choice between holding her hand or having another leash around his neck for their _‘walkies’_ through the castle. Not that either of those made any difference with the ring bound to his finger but still, if he had to choose… He took the hand begrudgingly and let Lenore lead him by it through the castle. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm definitely interested in your feedback! Let me know what you think of each chapter, think you have any predictions on what will happen next? More to come!
> 
> Also:  
> This is mostly going to be focused on Hector's experiences  
> Special Thanks to GamerGamii and NothingTea for being my betas


	2. New Digs

One of the outbuildings apparently meant a ‘modest’ four-story tower, built off the edge of the castle and overlooking one of the cliff sides along a corner. Every level was its own large, circular space, divided up as need be. The entrance level opened up into a sitting room of sorts, couches and chairs for socializing with a kitchen to one side that was only separated from the main space by an island countertop, leaving it feeling open and allowing the wall of curtained windows to, when opened, let in the natural light during the day. It was a calming space with green upholstery and drapes accented by silver to tie it all together. 

“I’m not really the type to keep company,” Hector managed to criticize, mostly because he was trying to hate this place as much as he hated Lenore.

“Well someday you may want to entertain guests,” Lenore reasoned, “and it would be rude not to have a place for them to sit.”

Hector scoffed at that and rolled his eyes, “I doubt that I would live that long, even if I were free,” he couldn’t think of a single living soul that he could tolerate long enough to want to entertain, present company included.

One level down from the main floor was prepped to be a storeroom, a cold cellar or whatever he needed it to be. It had no windows, like a basement and there was already some food and wine stocked within.

While the main floor seemed more for entertaining guests, the next room up was focused to be a quiet study meant for personal use. This space was decorated with soft red seating spaces and luxurious purple curtains. The few bookshelves that were there were only partially filled with tomes but there was a comfortable looking reading nook built into a section of window along with a beautifully crafted desk on the side of the room. It was stocked well with ink, parchment and empty books to write in. 

“A little sparse on literature,” Hector drawled, fingers gliding along the few spines of books that were actually there.

“Just a few things that I thought might pique your interest,” Lenore explained calmly, “we can visit the library at some point and fill out the rest as you please.” 

Hector bit his tongue, he would love that and she knew he would. Why was it so hard to hold back the excitement that built in his belly at all these pretty things, the potential of it all. The _hope_ it gave him that he knew she would just twist against him again. It was giving him a stomach ache, or maybe that was the hunger he’d been ignoring? 

They continued up and finally on the top floor stood a warm and welcoming bedroom with a tall domed ceiling that looked like it had once been made of stained glass but now had been restructured with ornately carved wooden and metal architecture. A large four-poster bed was clearly the focal point of the room, draped in intricately patterned blue sheets, reinforced with warm furs and too many pillows. It even had a soft blue rug to keep the chill away from bare feet for trips to the luxurious on-suite bathroom. 

Everything in the bedroom was well made, even the wardrobe, full length mirror and vanity table were clearly of high quality craftsmanship. Every floor seemed to have adequate heating but this one had a beautiful, marble mantled fireplace to one wall. It was close to another cozy seating area with a light blue loveseat and two armchairs by the curved wall of windows. Glass that filled a large section of the circular wall was decorated with spiraling metal throughout it in fantastical patterns but what was beyond that… oh the view. On the lower levels, all the other curtains had been drawn shut despite it being night, to hide the vast beauty beyond until reaching this top floor. Now the breathtaking view was in full sight and it clearly had had the desired effect on Hector.

The Forgemaster was drawn to the window, eyes gazing at the frozen world lit by starlight. It only took a moment before he realized there was a balcony with which he could step out upon to view it better. While he regretted leaving the warmth within it was worth being able to gaze at the scene stretched out before him. Despite the biting cold of the night he felt his breath taken by the view as he leaned against the metal railing. 

Styria flowed on for miles and it was a clear enough night that the stars and moon shone brightly above, casting their glow across the expanse of snow covered hills and forest.

“We don’t tend to have much use of this area of the castle,” Lenore informed him casually, stepping out onto the balcony after him as the cool breeze blew, “so you’ll likely have plenty of peace and quiet out here.”

Hector continued to survey the horizon, “we’re facing south,” he observed the stars, mapping out different constellations in his mind, “I suppose on this angle, with the circular nature to the rooms and windows, the sun would hit this spot at most times of the day,” finding a logical reason behind her words was comforting, it meant that she was likely telling the truth this time. He might actually be left in relative peace out here, at least during the daylight hours.

“Yes, it’s a shame too, because that view is just spectacular,” Lenore hummed warmly, a smile on her lips as she looked Hector over from behind, her eyes trailing along his hips, biting her lower lip as a breeze lifted his shirt just enough to see a peak of his lower back. She tore her gaze away from him and casually to the horizon as she stepped up next to him, enjoying the cold night air that only brought a shiver to the poor human Forgemaster. “... did you really just calculate our position with the sun just to tell if I was being honest?” she questioned him with an amused grin on her lips.

Hector felt her teasing tone bring a slight blush to his cheeks that he hoped she would write off as the effects of the cold, “I can’t tell when you’re lying,” he admitted.

“I take that as a compliment,” Lenore mused with a touch of pride in the way she smiled and raised her chin just so.

Hector’s gaze slid to her curiously at that, “Then you don’t deny the fact that you’ve been lying to me?”

“Only here and there. Lies are part of diplomacy,” she shrugged nonchalantly, as if it was truly no big deal, “sometimes you need to bluff a little to get the right reactions out of someone so they’ll learn to see reason. It’s why I prefer equal commerce as opposed to working in good faith. People lie, but payment for goods and services is an established trade that society has been built on from the ground up. It’s a much more reliable give and take.”

Hector watched Lenore for a solid moment before he finally sighed and took a step away from the railing, arms wrapped around himself to fight off the chill. He gave the view one last look before turning to head back inside to the warmth, no view was worth freezing to death over, “well, you were telling the truth about this one. It’s a very pretty cage indeed.” 

“You would still rather return to the dungeons then?” Lenore questioned as she followed him inside, her tone dancing the balance somewhere in between being earnest and teasing. 

“No…” Hector admitted, having wandered over to the fireplace to regain his lost warmth, still shivering faintly and writing it off as from the cold rather than his mixed feelings about the old straw bed. “I haven’t seen anywhere to conduct my Forgemaster duties. Where do you expect me to create your precious night creatures?” the man decidedly changed the subject, it wasn’t as if he was going to _thank_ Lenore for the upgrade, despite his more polite nature begging him to because this was _quite_ the improvement. 

Lenore just gave a sweet smile and stepped towards the fire with him, “While I find your work ethic admirable Hector, it’s not healthy to let work and home life mingle too much. Your new forge isn’t too far from here but I thought it best to be kept away from the sunnier side of the castle, what with night creatures being what they are and all.” 

“I don’t have my hammer,” Hector pointed out, staring into the flames.

“Actually, we do,” Lenore replied with that little hint of superiority that, Hector supposed, vampires just couldn’t help. “Carmilla brought that home as well. Apparently she’d had the foresight to liberate it from Dracula’s castle just before you left.”

_~Oh my God, you adopted him_.~ Carmilla’s words echoed in his head as Hector felt his stomach churn at the very name of the white witch. “I won’t make you any night creatures,” he spoke firmly, determined to hold his ground here.

Lenore sighed and her tone took on a slightly weary edge, as though they’d already settled this and now he was dredging up old arguments, “Hector…” 

“No,” Hector insisted firmly, trying to hide the tremble of fear in his undertone. He knew that Lenore had _let_ him say no several times already but he wasn’t sure how much more she was going to let him get away with. Still, he needed to at least try to resist, to try and keep some semblance of himself. He was desperate for it. “You can torture me, throw me back in the dungeons, strip me down to nothing but you can not _force_ me to make night creatures.” he held up the ringed hand, settling his angry gaze upon the vampire, “This ring only _stops_ me from doing things, it can’t force my hand, my magic, my _intent._ ”

“How very perceptive of you,” Lenore admired that fire in his eyes for a moment, stepping closer to him and reaching up to cup Hector’s cheek, gentle fingers directing his fierce gaze and trying not to let herself become too enthralled by this savagery he had hidden within himself, “Hector, you can have a good life here. I want to take care of you and keep you safe but nothing in life is free.” she pressed a little closer to him, “You have to earn it. Pledging your loyalty to me has earned you a place outside the dungeons. Everything that you do here will earn you something more,” her lips were just a breath away from his now.

Her breath was warm and, from what Hector remembered, much of her was surprisingly the same. Did that mean she fed before visiting him? Was that what the cloak and warm clothing was for? To keep the fresh blood in her belly from growing cold? Hector could feel his heart rate picking up at this closeness, it was too much and not enough all at once but in the end, his anger won out because it wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair what she had done to him! 

“Stop it!” Hector snapped, “Stop trying to placate me with pretty words that you don’t mean,” he swatted her hand off his cheek with force, the other moving to shove her back in anger, a surge of ferocity made him want to throw her into the fire and watch her burn. Burn like his parents. Burn like everyone who ever caused him such pain. But before he could try, even as his hand grabbed at Lenore in a frenzied rage, his vision blurred and white-hot pain shot through Hector’s spine like lightning. Suddenly he was the one on fire, every nerve across his body felt like it was being dragged against red hot, burning spikes. An agony that seeped into his bones like a winter cold that held to his core, threatening to never thaw. Heat and ice and nowhere safe between.

He didn’t remember hitting the ground, he didn’t remember emptying his stomach as his body fought to try and purge the sickness of this pain away to no avail. He couldn’t even hear his own screams, deafened instead by the ringing of sheer agony in his ears. The ring on his hand throbbed but felt no different from the rest of his pierced nerves as it’s magic ripped through him. It tore at his lungs until he couldn’t breathe, clenched around his still-beating heart and suffocated his mind. His vision filled with stars and blurred with tears, every new second somehow more agonizing than the last.

Lenore sighed as she watched Hector writhe and twitch on the floor, wincing a little at the shriek of his voice, harsh on her more sensitive hearing and then relaxing as his voice left him, mouth still open in a tense, silent howl that his body just couldn’t muster the energy to keep up. After a moment she knelt by him and reached out, gentle fingers touching his ringed hand, soothing the effects of the horrid pain and calming the ring’s magic. 

Hector gasped for breath, all focus narrowing in on that hand as it brought gentle relief with every touch. Smoothing down his arm, easing the prickling nerves and eventually pulling his head into her lap. Pleasant fingers carded through silver locks of hair and soothed him out of agony, “sshhh, shh, there, there,” Lenore cooed, all soft and tender loving. Hector reached for her with trembling fingers, clinging to her dress and cloak and whatever he could grab because in a world blurred by such sheer torment she was the gentle release. Compared to that anguish, Lenore was a beacon of tender mercy and safety that his body curled around desperately, shaking like a leaf in the wind. 

“Easy now pet,” Lenore uttered smoothly, her hands still giving consoling touches to his skin and pacifying the remnants that still prickled at his nerves, “you’re alright, I’ve got you.” She stroked through his silver hair as his eyelids grew heavy with exhaustion, breath still coming in shaky gasps. “Silly boy, you won’t be doing that again now will you hm? Hm?” she prompted a second time, a little more firmly.

“N-no,” Hector stammered, his voice hoarse and mangled by the strain of screams and now trembling with fear. He managed to shake his head, burying his face in her skirts as if he thought that clinging to her now would keep the pain from ever returning. Tears stung at his eyes and he fought to hide them at least. That had been… _horrifying_.

“And you’re going to make us night creatures, yes?” Lenore suggested further. 

Hector swallowed, still cowering to hide his face. He wanted to say no again, to stop this, to put an end to it all and just run. He had been so ready to put his foot down and be stubborn and… and...

Lenore’s gentle petting of his hair gave pause at Hector’s silence and she lifted her hand away, letting the silver locks stream out of her fingers. Hector stiffened, dread stealing away in his gut and he lifted his face from her lap. Finding those pale fingers suspended above him he reached for it and pulled Lenore’s hand to cup his cheek again, where he had so savagely pushed it away before. “Y-yes, I will” he trembled, sapphire eyes shutting tight, so terrified that if she let him go too soon that the pain would resume. 

A pretty smile lifted the corners of Lenore’s lips and she stroked the tears from his cheeks, whispering with such sweet affection, “Good boy”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think about Hector's new place? How were the descriptions?  
> I am always interested in your feedback!
> 
> Special Thanks to GamerGamii and NothingTea for being my betas


	3. Masturbation Station

Hector had soon fallen to exhaustion, the magic of the ring having drawn from his own energy stores to inflict every ounce of pain leaving him spent. He drifted in and out of consciousness, vaguely comprehending the sensation of warm water on his skin, the blur of unfamiliar faces and then the softest surface known to man that stole his mind fully to the realm of sleep. 

He woke feeling numb, still emotionally drained but if he had to guess his mood, he’d probably go with depressed. He could see the dimming sunlight creating lines of dark gold along the edge of the deep blue curtains but he didn’t have the energy to rise. He rolled onto his front, just wanting to sleep for days and nights on end, to dissolve into the abyss of unconsciousness and never wake.

_ ~Be mine~ _

Hector groaned, burying his face into the nearest of the pillows. This bed was so soft and warm, it felt like being smothered by love and lured back to the realm of dreams.

_ ~Please Hector, please.~ _

Such a beautiful sound, bringing such warmth to his body as he moaned down into the pillow. How was it that he felt like a horny teen every time that he woke now? Had it really been so long since he’d last felt someone else’s touch that Lenore’s body was so ensnared in his mind? His fingers touched his own flesh beneath the covers and he let out a soft whimper at the contact. He didn’t even know how he had gotten here really, lying naked beneath warm blue sheets, but right now he didn’t care. 

Life was shit, if his body was going to let him have one of these rare moments of arousal, he wasn’t going to say no to it. 

“Mmn ah,” Hector panted, too tired to try and think of anyone else this time. His half-asleep dreams were already running away with the scene as he worked his manhood to full length. Lenore’s soft, perfect skin, her locks of red hair scattered across the pillow in disarray as she came undone beneath him. He could feel the desires rising within him, swirling and preparing to unleash the wave of pleasure through his body but not quite there. Another reason why he didn’t often do this, it tended to take so much  _ time  _ to find that sweet release. But he had plenty of time these days as long as he wasn’t interrupted again. And of course now that he had it, the rousing passions were mounting quickly.

His free hand reached up and grabbed a bar of the headboard, desperate to have something to hold onto and ground himself, lest he lose himself entirely because he could feel it coming. His knuckles went white in their grip above as he held the steady and intoxicating pace below, pumping his cock beneath the bedsheets that now felt too warm with the energy and friction that generated such heat below. 

Turning his head away from the pillow, Hector gasped the cool air from the surrounding room, trying to escape some of the unbearable heat without losing that sweet, delicate massage. “Yes, please,” he whimpered and begged, so close to the edge. What was holding him back? Sweat beaded along his brow and slid onto the pillow to absorb there. Fuck this damned heat. 

His hand flew off of the headrest and ripped the layers of blankets away without interrupting the pumping on his throbbing cock. The cool air hit like a drink of water on the hottest of days as he gasped and fell onto his back. Sweat glistened across every inch of his now exposed body, it mixed with the air and tingled his skin with the sensation. 

Hector moaned at the feeling, his nipples growing sensitive and stiffening in response to the contrasting mix of heat from his body and cold evening air. His cock was dripping and hard as ever, a flush of beautiful colour rising to his cheeks, chest and between his thighs.

“Fuck,  _ please, _ ” he begged the open air, freehand scrambling to find purchase in the sheets next to him, the fabric straining in his tight grasp. Every muscle tensed and squirming, so ready for that final moment as a frantic whimper trembled from his throat.

Back arching as his hips thrust up into his hand, Hector’s soft cries and pleas became a symphony that spread through the open room. His head thrown back, sweat gleaming down his long exposed neck as he finally, desperately found his release. 

His voice still hoarse from before but letting out a cry of ecstasy that he couldn’t hold back as white erupted from his twitching cock. It hit him hard, his body convulsing from the orgasm. Toes curled and Hector felt his head go dizzy with the flood of endorphins that shuddered through him from end to end as he milked every last ounce of it into completion. 

Chest heaving from the effort, Hector’s body finally let him relax with a groan on his lips as he tried to catch his breath. Thoroughly spent and mind spinning in the most pleasant of ways as his body tingled with the redistribution of blood flow. 

At least he didn’t feel numb anymore.

In fact, he was feeling a lot better. Although now all his lazy, post-coital brain could dream of was soft red locks of hair and kissable lips. 

\--

Lenore smiled as she watched Hector through her bedroom’s viewing mirror. His bare body, spent and sweaty, laying open and naked on the bed. He was trying so desperately to catch his breath again, it was adorable. She caressed the mirror image fondly before closing the handy little spellbook she had worked her magic from. Teasing and plying her new pet’s flesh and mind was proving to be quite the thrilling venture and had her own desires rising in warmth between her legs. 

Someday he would be taking care of that for her as well but for now she would survive. He still needed more training to get there. She blew a kiss at the mirror with a soft and delighted, “Good boy,” and then let the shards dismiss the image and hang loosely above her vanity. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a shorter chapter but I hope the content makes up for it ;)
> 
> Don't worry, the next one is extra long!
> 
> Special Thanks to GamerGamii and NothingTea for being my betas


	4. Hungry

Hector woke to a growling sound, causing him to look down at his stomach in betrayal, how dare it disturb his quiet, weary bliss?

Then again when was the last time he’d eaten?

Rising from the sheets, Hector actually stumbled on his feet, head-spinning dizzily as he dropped hard to his knees, clutching to the side of the bed to try and catch himself. The kitchen was two floors down and suddenly seemed like a design flaw because he felt nauseous with hunger and tackling stairs in this state seemed… precarious. 

As he slumped against the side of the mattress, debating whether he should wait and see if his stomach calmed from trying to eat itself or if he ought to brave the staircase, the silence hit him. The fireplace had either been snuffed or burned itself out in the night, there was no familiar chirping of birds, no excited Cezar to greet him as he woke or cats fighting outside. It was only the quiet dark of a new evening, silence yowling in his ears so loud he raised his hands to cover them until he could hear the beating of his own heart screaming in protest.

He was so alone.

There was no one there to help him. No dogs to cheer him up and beg for play or cats to provide their quiet companionship and understanding. No birds to bring him song and conversation, no one at all. It had been so long since he had felt this level of isolation but here in Styria was a constant, enveloping thing. He had always surrounded himself with more pets than a human ought to have really but they were his companions, loyal and loving and all he had ever needed.

Hector hugged his bare knees to his chest, tears brimming in his eyes as that old, deep pit of despair began to open up in his heart. It was an endless void that suckled on him for life, it left him emptier than a rain barrel in the desert and feeling twice as useless. 

His stomach growled and Hector felt like the sound had echoed through him rather than around the room because surely, surely that hollow space within was more cavernous than this place. Despite the gurgled cries to the contrary, he didn’t feel hungry. The constant stream of sorrow that ached from his heart every day had left him feeling over full if anything and the thought of eating made him rather queasy.

There was a light knocking at the bedroom door, “Hector?” Lenore called, “May I come in?” 

Hector startled at the noise and stared at the closed door. He opened his mouth to respond but no sound came out, his voice still drowned by the ache clinging to his chest. He took in a breath, fingers curling and digging into his skin around his heart as he swallowed the pang of solitude down like a brick in his throat.

“Hector?” Lenore called again, a touch of concern to her tone

“Um! Just a minute!” He compelled his voice to be light, as if she had merely caught him at a bad moment. Brow furrowing as he forced the last of that brick of loneliness down, pushing it to the far recesses of his consciousness so that he could wear the mask of indifference for her. It was hard not to be excited to see her and he fought to ignore the small leap of hope in his heart that at least with Lenore here, he wasn’t completely isolated in the silence anymore.

With a weary sigh, he tried to get up and fumbled meekly. Eventually he got his feet underneath him enough to stumble and fall into the wardrobe, catching himself barely on the door. His head was spinning fiercely and for a moment his vision began to darken around the edges, threatening to pass out but he pushed through it.

“I brought breakfast, if you’re interested,” Lenore chimed, the door still thankfully closed as she waited patiently for his invitation to enter. 

Hector seized the first thing he saw from the wardrobe, a simple-or what passed as such in a closet of fine silks-white shirt that hung loosely on his torso. He grabbed a pair of dark pants to go with it but floundered trying to get his legs in and ended up crashing noisily to the ground. “Ow,” the Forgemaster groaned in pain on the floor, one pant leg on and the other foot stuck in the knee.

“Hector?” Lenore opened the door at the sound, concern on her lips, “Are you alright?”

Managing to wedge his pants on just in time, Hector pulled himself up by the corner post of the bed and clung to it. “F-Fine-I’m fine,” he reassured through heavy breathing, trying not to look too unsteady as he held on. “Just… a bit dizzy.” 

Lenore rushed forward, setting down her basket along the way to come to Hector’s aid, “You poor thing.” She helped him hobble to the loveseat and sit down with her, “You haven’t eaten in days, it’s no wonder you’re not feeling well.” she touched his forehead and cheeks, checking for temperature or illness. 

Hector reached up in agitation to make her stop fawning over him but hesitated, fingers curling away before they could touch her wrist, too uncertain about what had set off the ring before. Was it the way he had slapped away her touch? Or more likely the blind rage of wanting to push her into the fire. Still, it wasn’t a boundary he was eager to test again so soon. “Please stop” he requested instead, letting his hands lower and rest in his lap, fingers idling curling and uncurling with one another anxiously. “I’m alright, I promise” he added when her concern didn’t fade from her eyes. He didn’t know why he was bothering to reassure her or why she looked so genuinely worried?

Lenore relaxed a bit at that, pulling her hands away with an apologetic look, “Sorry, you probably aren’t too keen on me touching you.” she gave the cutest of pouts as she pulled back marginally, looking rather disappointed.

“No, it’s fine” Hector found himself replying in earnest and then mentally scolding himself immediately, “It’s just… a bit much right now, with everything...” he trailed off into awkward silence and shifted uncomfortably, wishing that she had helped him sit in one of the armchairs and was not sharing the intimate loveseat with her. 

He was both glad that she was there and annoyed at her closeness. Why was he so confused? His stomach growled again as his head gave another unpleasant spin. He closed his eyes for a moment, definitely regretting the excess expended energy from earlier, that had not been helpful towards his current predicament. “I don’t remember going to bed last night,” his brow furrowed as he traced his thoughts backwards, trying to skip over the tenacious moments that had built up his ignored appetite.

“You passed out,” Lenore informed him gently, that worry still in her eyes because she knew a look of hunger when she saw it and didn’t appreciate the way he was neglecting himself. “After you attacked me and the ring stopped you, it must have been terribly draining. I’m sorry that I couldn’t stop it faster.”

Was that  _ guilt _ burrowing through the hunger pains that Hector felt? Just the way she had said how he  _ attacked _ her, she sounded so wounded by his actions. “Don’t be.” Hector mumbled, avoiding her gaze, “You told me what would happen if I did something like that, I just wasn’t thinking.”

“Still, if I did something overly antagonizing, I’m sorry,” Lenore insisted and then added her sweet plea, “Please accept my apology.”

Hector just shook his head, “I wouldn’t go so far as to say you haven’t done anything wrong but last night, it was my own fault for getting carried away.” He paused, his gaze drifting briefly to the haphazard blue sheets of the bed, “I’m a little more confused as how I ended up in bed without um… without wearing anything,” he glanced at Lenore suspiciously and watched as the vampire blushed and gave a sheepish smile.

“Well, you were a bit… messy when you passed out.” Lenore explained, giving him a sidelong look, “You rather pissed yourself and had thrown up everywhere. So I had to call in a few servants to clean you up in the bath and help get you to bed. Since they’d have to undress you anyway, it seemed a bit more of an intrusion to spend the extra time fumbling you into pajamas as well afterwards.”

“Oh,” Hector felt the embarrassment of that heat beneath his collar, a flush of red rising up his neck as he searched for anything else to look at, “So… you didn’t…”

“What?” Lenore blinked at him innocently and then seemed to clue in to what he was inferring and giggled at it, “ _Oh_ _Hector_ , how indecent do you think I am?” She delighted in watching his blush grow up to his ears, the pretty pink flitting across his skin in embarrassment, “I promise that I was a perfect Lady.” The vampire finally reassured, “And my servants are properly discreet. You have nothing to be worried about.”

“Ah… well… good then.” Hector swallowed that down and  _ chose _ to believe her because there was no use panicking over it now and honestly he just wanted to move on.

Lenore hummed with a smile, sensing his desire to push forward through the conversation and decidedly provided a new topic, there were more pressing matters after all. “Well, I know you have your own kitchen now but I brought some food with me,” she grabbed her basket and began unpacking something of a feast. She displayed it out on the coffee table in reach for him to see and then settled those gentle red-brown eyes to plead against Hector’s blue ones, “Please tell me you’ll eat something today.”

Hector’s eyes were glued to the variety of berries, bread, cheeses, bacon and hard-boiled eggs. His stomach growled again, louder this time and he placed a hand on it to try and convince it to stop but it gave a secondary gurgle in protest that was too well-timed not to laugh a little at it. “Well… I can’t say I’m not hungry,” he spoke down to the gurgling ache in his belly as Lenore gave a giggle and leaned over to hand him a fresh bread roll. It was warm and still soft to the touch.

But as much as the smell of it made his mouth water, Hector swallowed back the urge to take it and kept his hands firmly folded in his lap as he turned an apprehensive gaze to Lenore. She was watching him with a hopeful eagerness and cocked her head in confusion when he did not take the offering, “It isn’t poisoned,” she reassured, “Wouldn’t be much point in that, would there?”

“It’s not that,” Hector replied, trying to pick his words carefully and still so uncertain about where he stood with the vampire but right now she clearly wanted him to eat so… He had her attention, “May I ask you a question?”

Lenore blinked up at him, curious to say the least but mostly concerned about his health at this point, “Then will you eat?”

“That may depend on the answer,” Hector admitted, “And whether or not I think you’re lying.” 

“Very well,” Lenore agreed, she could work with that. She set the roll back down and got comfortable as she faced him more properly, “What’s on your mind?”

“Why do you think that I need a master?” Hector questioned immediately, “That I’m somehow _better_ _off_ being your… Your pet.” Even just mentioning the idea still made his stomach churn, or maybe that was still the hunger?

“Hector, what do you want?” Lenore asked the familiar question in reply.

Hector just frowned at that, clearly displeased to hear it, “For you to answer the question.” 

“I am.” The vampire insisted with a gentle smile, “But I need to make my point first. So tell me, what do you want?”

His brow furrowed as he tried to understand, there was really only one answer he had to that and it was what he’d wanted the moment Carmilla put a collar on him, “I want to be free.” 

“And what would you do with your freedom?” Lenore prompted further, “You could go anywhere you want, do anything at all. What would it be?”

“I would…” Hector paused because actually, what would he do? Dracula was gone, maybe he could find the castle but he doubted that place would be abandoned, probably taken over by some new monster instead. “I’d go home,” he decided.

Lenore smiled a little at that, it was such an innocent answer, “And where is that? Somewhere untouched by the ravages of Dracula’s war or the chaos that followed?”

“Well, perhaps… perhaps not.” Hector seemed uncertain, “I lived in Wallachia, a simple house away from any main roads or villages. No one really bothered me out there, it was quiet and as close to isolated as I could manage really.” 

“It sounds lonely,” Lenore watched him as he spoke.

Hector just smiled and shook his head, his features soft at the fond memories of the home he had built for himself. It had been a simple house, built in the sunshine with wild berries that grew nearby. “I had my animals. Any poor dead thing that I could find and bring back. They make for excellent company, much better than other humans for certain.”

“Hm,” Lenore hummed and thought that over briefly. “So, if you could leave here and somehow make it across the expanse of Styria, return to Wallachia, avoiding rabid vampires, abandoned night creatures and monstrous humans all the way to return back to a house that’s likely been destroyed by now and… Hope that none of the horrible things that you’ve somehow avoided along the way there, don’t come to eat you in the night?” Lenore tilted her head, summarizing the absurdity of his hopes. “Ah yes, but you’ll have a few undead dogs and cats to guard you by then I’m sure.”

“Well…” Hector rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, when she put it all out like that it sounded ridiculous. “I could make my own night creatures to protect me I suppose.”

“Ah yes, and make yourself a more visible target for anyone wishing to actually control the area.” Lenore nodded with an open gesture because that much seemed obvious to her and yet somehow poor Hector was naive to it or as she suspected, he just never thought it through.

Hector felt a flush return to his cheeks in embarrassment, like he was being scolded or failing some test. “I wouldn’t be a bother to others in the area. I just want to live my own life, quietly,” he looked away, knowing that such peace never lasted long even before Dracula’s war began. The number of times he’d had to uproot and move because some humans didn’t like what was going on just a little too close to their homes...

Lenore placed her hand on his knee, leaning forward a little, “The only way to do that Hector, is to command and control the land in which you live. To protect it against outside forces and keep it safe for yourself and those you care about. You helped Dracula direct his war and you clearly have a mind for tactics but I don’t think you much enjoy it, do you?”

“It… wasn’t my favourite part,” Hector admitted begrudgingly, “Directing groups of night creatures was fine enough but corralling the vampire generals, trying to get Isaac just to agree with me on something it... had its challenges.”

“Do you enjoy making night creatures?” Lenore pried with a curious tone.

“Typically, yes.” Hector sighed and shook his head, “I like my work, but that’s not the point and you still haven’t answered my question.”

“Striga loves directing troops.” Lenore commented, ignoring his point to continue on her own, “She’s eager to be the leader of a great army. Morana is skilled in drawing up logistical plans and as you know, I’m a talented diplomat. We are very good at what we do Hector and we each have our place in ruling this land. There’s no shame in accepting that I’ll never lead an army into battle and I wouldn’t want to anyway. Just as Striga would rather gouge her own eyes out than sit across from a nobleman and talk things out.”

Hector frowned, trying to find the flaw in her wording but he could only come up with the same argument, “You all have a choice in the matter.”

“So do you,” Lenore insisted, “You said it yourself, the ring can only  _ stop _ you from doing things, none of which are things you should be doing anyway. It just gives my sisters the security they need to trust you, to work with you. Being my pet allows you to have someone to take care of you and keep you safe from the terrible things out there and leaves you free to do the work that you love Hector, to live your simple life and live it well.” She gestured around them, “You can leave the rest of the warring and logistics to us.”

“You say that as though you believe you know what’s best for me,” Hector’s fingers curled, this time in irritation. He was a grown man after all, “I’m perfectly capable of making my own decisions.” 

“Ah yes, and we can both see how well that’s worked out for you thus far.” Lenore drawled pointedly, “Abandoned and betrayed by your own kind, deceived by Dracula and nearly dead a half dozen other ways by the time I met you. Hector, you didn’t even have a proper agreement with Dracula. Maybe it’s time you let someone else steer your life. It’s still everything you’d be wanting to do anyway, just here instead of elsewhere. Or is this castle and my company really that awful to you?”

“That’s not…” Hector sighed, again, she wasn’t  _ wrong _ exactly, although her company wasn’t ideal it wasn’t  _ always _ horrible. Not like Carmilla’s. He glanced around the room, a small frown persisting on his lips despite the obvious luxuries encompassing them, “I’m never going to be thrilled about the situation.” He gave Lenore a look, hating that she had a valid point and he was struggling to find the greater flaws in her reasoning outside the fact that he just  _ wanted _ to be free because apparently that wasn’t good enough.

The vampire just smiled because the way he said that, he was at least thinking about coming around to acceptance. “Just give it a try. You might find you actually like it.” 

“Doubtful.” Hector sighed and finally caved in, reaching for a bread roll, “But I suppose the point still stands; I don’t have a choice.” He was going to  _ have _ to give it a try, whether he liked it or not. The dice were cast and there was no getting out of it now. 

Fresh bread tasted amazing.

As much as he knew better than to gorge on a starved stomach, Hector found that several rolls of bread, cheese and other items had vanished the moment they were in hand. How was he so hungry?

Oh right, he hadn’t eaten in days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, well, well, such civil conversation!
> 
> How do you feel about Lenore's reasoning? I love hearing your thoughts ^_^
> 
> Special Thanks to GamerGamii and NothingTea for being my betas


	5. Hammer time!

Hector had, rather obviously, eaten too quickly and ended up getting nauseous. But after a night of recovery with Lenore spending much of her time taking care of him, the Forgemaster was finally back on his feet. 

Just nearing sunset the next evening, Hector was already awake and examining his study. The few books that were there had him very curious about what other novels of information lay somewhere hidden in this castle’s library. Although he was pulled from his inquisitive delving by the sound of the front door slamming open and footsteps climbing the stairs.

“Lenore?” Hector turned towards the staircase in confusion because Lenore tended to be much quieter than that and she usually knocked.

A pair of vampiric guards stormed into the room. They grabbed Hector before he could even react and began dragging him back down and out of his little haven. Out in the hall, they shoved Hector forward, spears at the ready to prod him onward.

“What is the meaning of this?” Hector faced them, backing away from the sharp metal pointed at him as they pressed towards him. “Where are you taking me?!”

They didn’t even bother giving him a response, forcing him down the hall and directing him through the castle with spears at the ready. They ignored all his questions along the way and shoved him into a new room with the door slamming shut behind him.

Hector stumbled forward, barely keeping his feet under him and shooting back a glare at the closed door. He brushed himself off, straightened his back and turned to take the room in. Apparently, these vampires didn’t know the meaning of small spaces, to be honest even their prison cells hadn’t been overly cramped. Or perhaps Hector was just more appreciative of the simpler things in life because this room seemed a bit gaudy for his taste and that was just talking about the basic architecture of it. 

Tall, crimson walls and perhaps too many intricately carved and painted details that gave the whole place an over-decorated feel. The air felt thick with dust as though it hadn’t felt a breeze in some time and there was a musty, stale scent about the place. A large stone altar stood out from the regular decor, placed at the far end of the room, lit dimly by the starlight of the tall windows it sat in front of. Hector stepped towards it curiously because it was the only thing  _ not _ coated in dust which made it clearly a new addition and there was little question as to why. He drew his fingers across the surface of the stone slab and found something familiar resting on top.

His hammer.

Hector’s heart nearly broke in his chest at the sight of the poor thing, utterly filthy and clearly abused with scratches and misuse. What the hell had Carmilla been doing with it? Ugh, on second thought, he didn’t want to know. 

Fond fingers wrapped around the handle and his thumb brushed a little dirt from one of the coins inlaid within the head. He gave it a casual swing through the air, the weight of it warmly familiar and bringing solace that eased his troubled mind, if just a little. It just felt right in his grasp, like a piece of himself had been missing and now he was whole again. There was a smile on his lips as he moved around, wielding it comfortably. Yes, the hammer was his forging tool but he’d be a fool if he didn’t know how to use it well otherwise.

How absurd it had been to say he wouldn’t use it again. Just having the hammer back in hand made him want to get to work because he wasn’t just Hector, he wasn’t just another human, part of a race of savages driven by base instincts. He certainly wasn't a pet to be kept and plied with warm bread and a cushy mattress. That had to be the reason why he’d given in to Lenore’s demands, it wasn’t the pain of the ring or her strange and gentle touches that convinced him to build her army. He was a Forgemaster first, everything else could just burn away.

Wielding the hammer again brought clarity to his confusion, it steadied his thoughts but he still had questions, the most pressing being; who had summoned him here? Lenore preferred to have him follow her around like a lost puppy so it likely wasn’t her, not to mention that the room wasn’t…  _ nice _ enough to have had her touch to it. This seemed a bit more rushed, almost careless in how it’d been set up and then he’d just been dumped here with his hammer alone?

The last person he knew to have been in possession of the forging weapon was Carmilla. Carmilla who had made it very clear how little she cared for his comforts. Carmilla who had beaten and broken him down, tormented him for the month-long journey to this frozen hell. Carmilla who wanted nothing more than an army of night creatures. Fucking Carmilla, who now also possessed a ring that bound Hector from harming her and in essence, from defending himself from her as well. He frowned at that last thought, even without the ring he hadn’t done very well in defending himself from her but at least he could have  _ tried  _ without it, maybe.

He couldn’t believe that he was actually wishing for  _ Lenore _ to come find him soon. She had promised him protection and while he shouldn’t be surprised that it may have been a lie, Hector was suddenly hoping it wasn’t. The way that Carmilla had unleashed her frustrations upon him after Braila had been bad enough, not including after every bad day during the long journey here. Beating him down and toying with the Forgemaster seemed to be the only thing that got her through the long nights of marching. 

Swallowing back the nerves of anticipation, he steadied himself mentally for the beating that seemed likely to come. Hector sighed and settled against the altar, his back to the large empty space of the room, enjoying the starlight coming in the windows while he still had two good eyes to see it by. His brows knit together, trying to decide which was worse; the pain or the waiting? What was taking her so long? Why couldn’t she just get it over with?!

The doors clashed open carelessly and a female voice chimed, “Oh good, you’re here.”

Hector took a breath and turned to face whatever new horror awaited him, a darkness in his sapphire eyes and a heavy shadow that gloomed over his heart. He let the hammer rest back upon the altar, it wouldn’t be any help to him anyway, and lifted a solemn gaze towards the voice.

It wasn’t Carmilla. It was the large one, Striga? She had strode into the room, followed by vampire soldiers who were lugging dead bodies in to make a pile in the empty space. Hector must have looked rather startled at the unexpected sight because the vampire leader gave him a demanding glare. “What are you looking at? You’re a Forgemaster are you not? You’ve seen a pile of dead bodies before, haven’t you?” she gestured to the steadily growing pile next to her.

“U-um, yes, of course,” Hector tried to shake off his surprise, “I was just… expecting someone else,” he admitted, unable to come up with another excuse that sounded less pathetic.

Striga just rolled her eyes and scoffed at him, “Tch, Lenore can have you back later. She’s stalled for you long enough, it’s time to work.” 

“Stalled…?” Hector just looked confused again.

“Yes, yes.” Striga grumbled in growing annoyance and mocked her sister’s tone, “He needs a place to stay. He needs more time. He’s not ready yet. Blah, blah blah. You have a forge, you have the hammer. Get to work,” she pointed more forcefully at the pile, “And earn your keep, Forgemaster.” 

Hector stared at the large vampiric woman for merely a moment before he quickly snapped out of it because Striga did not seem like someone he wanted to be on the wrong side of. He would have to process her befuddling words later. Leaving the altar he went over to the pile to inspect his new wares. The smell hit him first and he frowned, “Uhg, how old are these?” he demanded, nose wrinkling in disgust as he knelt by the pile and lifted an oozing hand by it’s soiled sleeve.

Striga just chuckled at his reaction, “Sensitive nose Forgemaster?” she teased

“What? No.” Hector shook his head, he was well accustomed to the wreak of death but she had missed the point entirely, “I can’t work with these. They’re too old, the flesh has already passed the acceptable point of decay.”

“What? What nonsense is this?” Striga growled, looming over him, “A Forgemaster turns the dead into soldiers from hell. These are dead, get to work.”

If Striga had expected him to cower back and step away from her, she was sorely mistaken. Hector stood his ground and held the large woman’s gaze, “A Forgemaster binds a soul from hell to a  _ freshly _ deceased body.” He explained firmly, “One with all its limbs attached. It cannot be too mutilated or too old, I don’t make inferior beasts that will fall apart the moment they take their first steps. If this is all you have then I suggest you give up your dreams of an army of the night or you find a village of people to kill, preferably one not too far away.”

Striga bared her fangs, a growl rising in her throat as she seized Hector by the neck, lifting the man off his feet and into the air with her long, powerful fingers clamping around his windpipe.

“What is all this mess?” Morana drawled as she entered the room, having followed a trail of decaying bodies to get there. 

“Deciding how best to deal with this useless human!” Striga’s eyes flashed with red as Hector’s feet kicked helplessly in the air, fingers trying to pry Striga’s mightier grip from his suffocating throat.

“Oh, put him down darling,” Morana patted the vampire woman’s arm sympathetically, “If you kill him now we won’t get any night creatures.”

“He is refusing to make them anyway.” Striga continued to let Hector struggle, watching the man’s efforts slowly wane with lack of oxygen.

Morana frowned at that but persisted, “Lenore will be insufferable if you kill her new pet.” 

Striga’s throat let out an irritable rumble at that notion and finally tossed the Forgemaster to the floor. Hector crumpled onto the stone, hacking and coughing as he tried to suck in air again through a mildly crushed windpipe. 

“I ah, didn’t-” Hector coughed again and gasped for breath, struggling to get a hold of himself. Fists angrily pushed off the ground to stumble back to his feet, “I didn’t  _ refuse, _ ” he rubbed at his throat, certain it was already bruising as he careened into the wall for support.

Morana had to place a hand on Striga’s arm to stop the larger vampire from lunging at the Forgemaster with a snarl, “You said you wouldn’t-” 

“I said I  _ couldn’t! _ ” Hector snapped to interrupt her and cleared his throat again, finding his breath at last and pushing off the wall to stand on his own weight again, “Every magic has its limits, this is mine. Fresh bodies, minimal injury. Anything less and you might as well throw dismembered arms at your foes and hope they trip.”

Striga’s reddened gaze narrowed on him, “It sounds like bullshit to me. How do we know you aren’t just stalling?”

“Stalling for  _ what _ exactly?” Hector demanded

Striga hissed, “For our moment to pass so that we strike too late and lose this war.”

“Oh yes, I would love to piss you off as much as possible so that you can truly make my life even  _ more _ a living hell!” Hector reasoned with so much sarcasm he was looking to the ceiling for help from the divine. 

Striga nearly lunged for him again but Morana stood between them, holding her hands up to hush them both. She turned to Striga first and drew her fingers fondly up through the woman’s mess of hair, “Darling, just bear with me a moment hm?” she requested and when Striga growled her consent, the smaller vampire turned to Hector with a narrowed gaze, sizing the mortal man up. “How fresh?”

“What?” Hector blinked and then shook his head as he caught up to her meaning, running a hand through his hair as he looked at the bodies in thought, “Oh um… Nothing more than a week old or the magic won’t hold properly and the soul is lost. I’d prefer three days or fresher though. And they need to have all their limbs, nothing overly mutilated like this,” he kicked a stray arm that literally wasn’t attached to anything. 

Morana pursed her lips, evaluating Hector as he spoke, “Is there anything else that you require for the forging?” 

Hector glanced around the room and shook his head, “After that, the hardest part is getting them on the altar to work on but I can do that myself. I’d prefer cleaner, less stuffy conditions…” He added and then paused at the look she was giving him, “But can manage with this just fine.”

Morana stepped towards him and Hector turned his gaze back to meet hers, again refusing to back down as she crowded into his space. He was a Forgemaster, this was his work, he knew it well and he took pride in it and no amount of vampiric bullying was going to change that. 

“Hm,” Morana nodded, seemingly satisfied with his reply and  _ curious _ about his resolve, “Then you shall have what you require, Forgemaster,” she told him, “In the meantime you will write down exactly how long it takes for you to create one of your creatures, how much magic you can expend in a day doing so and any other pertinent details towards us building an adequate time table for what to expect from you.”

Hector thought that over briefly, if it was just for scheduling then he shouldn’t have to give away any pertinent information as to how he made the creatures. As long as he kept his trade secrets, so they couldn’t have some other humans learn to replace him. So he nodded in agreement, “I can spell out the same work schedule I used for Dracula. That way you’ll know I’m not  _ lying, _ ” he glanced over Morana’s shoulder to Striga, pointedly. 

Morana reached up and drew a clawed nail along Hector’s cheek, light enough to not draw blood but heavy enough to direct his attention back to her, “Lenore might adore you, Forgemaster, but the rest of us tolerate your existence for one reason and one reason alone.”

“I know,” Hector replied quietly and sighed as his shoulders dropped a little. He lowered his gaze as that confidence he had just displayed wavered slightly, leaving a sour taste in his mouth as he remembered his position here, “And you will have your night creatures, as many as I am able to make. Until hell itself is empty.”

A smile pulled at Morana’s lips, clearly pleased that this human seemed to know his place after all. Lenore had done her job well. “Then we won’t have any problems, will we?”

“Not from me, no,” Hector confirmed.

“Good” Morana hummed warmly, “Just one more thing then little Forgemaster, about Lenore...” Her nails trailed down the side of his neck, sending a shiver through his spine but still he held his ground, ignoring those base animal instincts to run. The long, pointed claws rested over his chest, tips just piercing through the fine silk shirt, “Don’t break her heart. Because if you do I will make sure that you live long enough to watch me devour yours.” 

Hector gave something of a smile at that, unperturbed by Morana’s deadly nails poised to rip his heart out because she  _ had _ to be joking, “I really doubt that will be a problem.” He was in no position to be doing anything to Lenore, she held all the cards and he was just a pawn.

Morana’s nails pressed into the flesh beneath his shirt, piercing the skin enough for Hector to flinch and feel the trickle of blood leak out and stain the material, “See that it isn’t,” she demanded, deadly serious.

Hector swallowed at that, suddenly feeling the pressure of Morana’s threat beyond the mere words she had used. Her presence was like a weight on the world, making the very air in his lungs heavy and difficult to breathe. While he wasn’t sure  _ how _ he could possibly hurt Lenore, it was clear that Morana believed differently. “As you wish,” he took a step back to bow to her respectfully, really using the social grace as an excuse to get a breath of distance between himself and this vampire. Logically he knew it didn’t matter but it still made him feel better to have her a little more than an arm’s length away. 

“There you are!” Lenore’s voice broke through the room as she stormed forward, “What is going on here?!” she came over to check on Hector, all concern and motherly, “You’re bleeding!” she touched his chest and then turned on her sister viciously, “What did you do?!”

“Relax, Lenore,” Morana assured, “I barely nicked him, we were just talking.”

“YOU DREW BLOOD!” Lenore snapped, “What is he even doing out here?”

“You told me to organize the forging, so I did,” Striga interjected, stepping up next to Morana protectively.

“Yes, organize, prepare, not whisk him away at the break of dusk!” Lenore glared at her, “I told you that he wasn’t ready yet.” 

“Oh please,” Striga groaned.

Morana sighed irritably and pinched the bridge of her nose, “Here we go.”

Hector stared at this discourse between the sisters, rather confused by most of it. Was Lenore actually trying to defend him? Although in this case he could see it was just alienating him from the other two, making them resent him even more. Not wanting to verbally interrupt like last time, he tapped Lenore’s shoulder lightly, “May I…?” he asked when she looked at him. 

Lenore frowned a little at the intrusion but considering that this wasn’t an official meeting that he was stepping into, she gave him a nod, “You may.”

“We were just discussing the specifics needed for future forging,” Hector explained, not an experienced liar and so trying to stick as close to the truth as possible, “I got in the way of Lady Morana’s hand, it was an honest mistake. I’m fine.”

Lenore blinked up at her human pet, taking in his words while her red/brown eyes seemed to evaluate him. “... Well why didn’t you say so?” a smile graced her lips, all sunshine and rainbows once more. She turned back to her sisters, “Sorry about that, I might have gotten a touch carried away when he wasn’t home. Would you mind perhaps letting me know before you borrow my pet next time?”

“Sure, whatever,” Striga shook her head, only agreeing because Morana had given her an insistent look. 

Morana gave a pleasant smile, “We’ll be sure to do that. Ah, and Lenore, the boy says that he can start making night creatures as soon as we have proper materials, so perhaps stop coddling him so much. We do have land to acquire and only so much time to do it.”

“We have plenty of time.” Lenore huffed at that and turned on her heel to leave, grabbing Hector’s hand to drag him with her, “Come along Hector, let’s get you a fresh shirt.” the Forgemaster followed after her obediently although looking back at the other two vampires before they were out of sight.

Striga groaned once the pair were gone, “Fucking hell Morana, she’s obsessed with him!”

“You know how she gets with a new toy,” Morana sighed, “She’ll obsess for a little while and then the novelty will wear off and we can get back to our lives.”

“But we need night creatures sooner, not later,” Striga pointed out, “This can’t wait.”

“She knows, Striga,” Morana wrapped her arms around her lover’s neck, nuzzling fondly into her chest, “You just focus on getting some fresher bodies, I’ll keep Lenore and her pet on task, hm?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that I've done Striga and Morana justice in this one, they are quite simply an adorable power couple   
> What do you guys think?
> 
> Special Thanks to GamerGamii and NothingTea for being my betas


	6. Hot and Cold

Hector followed Lenore back to his tower, his hand, held loosely in hers as he stared at her back the whole way there. She was confusing, contradictory, caring and cruel. She would lie or omit information to manipulate him one moment and then the next was happily telling him hard truths that she could have easily gotten away with lying about. It was like she was trying to care for him and hurt him at the same time. Being around her was like stumbling in the dark, bumping into unfamiliar surroundings that moved without warning; he just couldn’t keep track.

Lenore led him back up to his bedroom, only letting go of his hand to rummage through the wardrobe of items. “That shirt was new and now it’s ruined,” the vampire whined irritably as she pulled out two more shirts and seemed to contemplate which would look better on Hector; red or blue? “Why do they always have to ruin my things?” She put the red one back and tossed the blue shirt on the bed for now as she stepped up to Hector again.

Hector just stood there, assuming her questions to be rhetorical as he let the strange woman whine and rant without really listening to her. He was more distracted by his own thoughts and questions about Morana’s warning, ~ _ Don’t break her heart, _ ~ as if he had some ounce of power in this situation. Wasn’t he the helpless one here?

Lenore’s touch stirred Hector from his thoughts and he blinked down at her as she undid the buttons on his shirt to remove it. Fucking hell, she was so invasive into his personal space sometimes that it made him want to scream. “They just can’t handle it when I’m the one holding all the cards,” she chattered on and pushed the shirt open, peeling the red-stained piece off his chest. The skin beneath had five little puncture marks from Morana’s nails, positioned perfectly around Hector’s heart but shallow enough that they didn’t really hurt. The wound was already clotted but with the shirt pulled away it caused a few drops of blood to trickle down. Pale, deft fingers caught the stray fluid before it could reach Hector’s waistline and Lenore licked the blood from her digits with a thoughtful hum as she assessed the damage to her property.

Before Hector could make a comment about not having any medical supplies on hand the vampire was leaning forward to slide her tongue up his abdomen, collecting the stray beads of blood along the way. Her hands rested comfortably on his hips and Hector felt himself freeze, eyes going wide in shock. Taking in a sharp breath, every one of his muscles tensed as his hands rose to shove her away but stopped in place just above her shoulders. Should he push her back?  _ Could _ he? Was he really just going to stand there and let her drink from his open wounds?! Heaven almighty and dear hell below, when had he been demoted to  _ feeding stock _ ? Or was that an upgrade from slave? He really wasn’t sure anymore.

Lenore’s tongue was wet and annoyingly refreshing, leaving a light prickling trail on his skin as the saliva reacted like sweat with the air, cool and delectably familiar. It was hard not to be reminded of that tongue on his neck or the smell of the straw bed and her desperate touches on his skin. Lenore licked his wound clean and then smiled up at Hector, giggling at the startled look in his eyes. “Oh Hector, you look positively terrified.  _ Breathe _ darling, you’re alright.”

Hector was pretty sure that if his heart were beating any harder it would break a rib. He had to swallow twice and took two steps back the moment she loosed her grip on him before he found his voice again, “Do I taste that good?” His voice was a shuddering confusion between animosity and curiosity as to what had compelled her to do  _ that _ . 

Lenore giggled again and licked her lips before thumbing the corner of her mouth to make sure there wasn’t any stray blood left there. “Well, I’ve had better,” she admitted, “But that’s not the point.”

“And what, precisely,  _ is _ the point then?” Hector demanded, still not entirely sure if he was angry or not. 

Lenore just held that pretty smile on her delighted features, “Oh? You don’t know… I suppose it isn’t terribly common knowledge.” she stepped towards him and raised a brow as Hector matched her movements in backing away, not letting her get close again so she stopped. “Just  _ look, _ Hector,” she pointed to his chest.

Hector paused, eyeing her a moment before he looked down. The injury was… gone? The skin was perfectly healed over and she had licked all the blood away like it had never happened at all. Bewilderment took over his gaze as he touched his chest as though searching for some illusory magic. “What, how?”

“Vampiric saliva has mild healing properties.” Lenore explained casually, stepping forward again now that Hector was too distracted to continue his retreat, “It allows us to feed on a few humans regularly and not risk them bleeding out and being wasteful. I can’t cure broken bones with it or anything but a scratch like that is no trouble at all.” She placed her hand gently over the healed wound and smiled up at him, “Now take off that shirt, it’s filthy.”

“That’s… incredible,” Hector found himself amazed and staring, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a vampire doing that before...” 

“Well, that’s because all you hear about are the wild and roaming vampires who delight in the hunt and massacre, or they’re off spilling blood to send a message to the rest of the foolish mortals in the area.” Lenore shrugged and stepped away to get the blue shirt from the bed as Hector barely remembered to shrug the ruined one off his shoulders and cast it aside, “You don’t hear about the quiet ones, who feed on someone in passing. The idiot humans wake up confused and think they just got drunk and passed out the night before, with no injuries to say otherwise.” 

Hector followed her, relaxing now as he understood the purpose of her actions, however disturbing it had been in the moment. Yes, it had been unsettling, but no more so perhaps than waking up every morning and thinking about her with arousal between his legs. Still, he preferred to keep that sort of thing to the memories of the past and… private moments. God, he was definitely going to dream about this one tonight, wasn’t he?

“You look lovely in blue,” Lenore admired as Hector pulled the clean fabric over his shoulders, “It brings out the colour in your eyes.” Her nimble fingers reached forward, cupping his cheek fondly before letting her touch slide down his chest and long the smooth silk. “Would you care to explain why you lied to me now?”

Feeling his mouth go dry, Hector’s mind scrambled to keep up with the switch in conversation. His heart was bouncing between leaps of panic to calm and panicked again, like she was tugging it along by a string. “Um, pardon?” he questioned, more as a tactic to buy time for him to catch up to her thoughts and figure out a reply that wouldn’t have her ruining another shirt.

“Morana, your injury,” Lenore’s eyes were locked on him like a panther stalking prey, evaluating every nervous gulp and drop of sweat on Hector’s brow. “You said you’d just gotten in her way, by accident. Did you forget our lesson about underestimating me, dear Hector? Because you’re a very poor liar.” 

“Not at all,” Hector admitted openly as he recalled her own words, “But sometimes you need to lie a little to get the right reactions out of someone. I don’t want all your sisters to hate me, Lenore. Lady Morana was just giving me a warning, unnecessary but I suppose that was her way of asserting dominance. If it made her feel better about having me here then I don’t mind, it barely hurt and it isn’t worth causing discourse between you. She’d likely just resent me more for that.”

Lenore’s features softened at his words, her shoulders relaxing and then she was throwing her arms around his neck in an affectionate hug, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek, “Oh Hector, you’re so sweet!” 

“Um… thank you?” Hector replied uncertainly, his hands naturally returning the embrace for lack of anything else to do. 

“My sisters mean everything to me. It’s important you all learn to get along,” Lenore rested her head on his chest and Hector had a feeling that if she were a cat she’d be purring with delight. Her fingers trailed through his hair adoringly and rested on the back of his neck. Those claw-like nails tickling the skin there for a moment before her grip on him tightened to uncomfortable levels.

“Lenore-” Hector gasped, beginning to feel crushed in her hold.

Her strength easily pulled him down to his knees and soft lips came to his ear, speaking in such a delicate whisper to him, “But lie to me again, pet, and I’ll have you begging for my mercy,” Hector’s fingers clawed uselessly at her back, trying to find purchase on her clothing to pull her off without harming her. He could feel his bones straining, the slightest pressure away from breaking. “Is that clear?” 

“Y-yes,” Hector struggled to reply, his head nodding in agreement with her, anything to make her stop. 

Satisfied with that answer, Lenore released him and stepped away cheerily to go sit on the loveseat on the far side of the room, “Excellent. Now, let’s talk about your forging. That room is in terrible shape, I don’t know what Striga was thinking. It used to be an old dining hall but we haven’t used it in years, the curtains are still coated in dust! I’ll have to do some remodelling before you get started in there!”

Hector was just catching his breath while Lenore prattled on. He carefully got back to his feet with his arms wrapped around himself for support and bitter anger that burned in his belly. Like fire and ice, Lenore bounced around between praises and abuse so fast that it made his head spin. He turned his heated gaze to look at the glimpse of red hair that just peeked over the back of the couch from where she sat. Some day he was going to see that woman dead.

But for now, Hector went over to sit in one of the light blue armchairs across from her, returning her smile with one of his own and letting her lead the conversation as she saw fit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I enjoyed this chapter ^_^ I hope you did you!
> 
> Do you think Hector will find his revenge one day? Or will he break and give in first?
> 
> I love hearing your thoughts and comments below!
> 
> Special Thanks to GamerGamii and NothingTea for being my betas


	7. Bottoms Up

“I don’t hate him,” Morana commented, relaxed where she sat in the council room of the ruling sisters, “He’s a bit of a know-it-all brat when it comes to forging but at least he seems to know his place.” 

“Uhg, not you too,” Carmilla groaned, swirling the dark red liquid in her cup as she slumped back in her chair, “He’s an insufferable piece of shit who happens to be handy with a hammer. Striga, tell me the lost-puppy act hasn’t worked on you as well.”

Striga sighed and shook her head, “I’m waiting to see these night creatures. If they’re truly worth all the trouble then… we’ll see.”

Carmilla just shook her head in disapproval, “Assuming Lenore doesn’t keep stalling for him. He should have begun working by now.”

“Well, apparently we don’t have the right bodies,” Striga frowned irritably, “Where the fuck are we going to get that much raw material from? I was counting on being able to dig up some graves…”

Morana hummed in agreement, “It does provide an interesting twist to the challenge but… I may have something in the works. In the meantime we have the mercenaries and of course, as they fall we can use their bodies in the forge too.”

“Assuming they don’t get mutilated too much for the pretty boy,” Striga mumbled into her glass.

The doors swung open and Lenore strolled in happily, towing Hector behind her by the hand, “Sorry we’re late! We just got so caught up that I lost track of time.”

Carmilla recoiled, “God, not this again.”  
  
“Lenore, we do not want to hear about your sexcapades,” Morana scolded.

  
“Please spare us the details this time,” Striga agreed.

“Disgusting,” Carmilla added for good measure.

Lenore just giggled at their displeasure and took her seat, waving for Hector to join them. “We were just _talking_ if you must know-this time anyway. Hector’s been a very good boy and wrote down all the information you’ll need for his forging. Go on sweetie,” she reassured the man.

Hector glanced around the table, Striga seemed to be partially paying attention, Morana was staring him down and Carmilla wasn’t even acknowledging his presence. Honestly, it was the same level of respect he tended to garner from Dracula’s generals as a whole, either they ignored him, bitched at him or begrudgingly listened from afar. And just like in Dracula’s castle, there was only one person who seemed to actually care what he had to say, except this time it was the psychotic Lenore and not the greatest vampire to ever unlive.

“This is the information I promised you,” Hector walked around the table the long way towards Striga to avoid passing by Carmilla. He offered the large vampire a few sets of parchment that he had spent most of the night working on. “That’s the same schedule that I worked for Dracula, the number of night creatures I can-” he stopped as she silenced him with a firmly raised hand, her eyes glancing over the pages to see for herself.

“... is that it?” Striga questioned, clearly unimpressed, “Carmilla, you said he could build an army.”

  
Hector opened his mouth to respond but Carmilla cut him off before he could do so.  
  


“He built one for Dracula,” Carmilla scoffed, “What’s the problem?”

The Forgemaster frowned, not exactly thrilled to be ignored while being spoken about as he glanced between the chatting vampires with growing irritation. Lenore had cautioned him about speaking out of turn so he ground his teeth wondering just how long he was supposed to bite his tongue here?

Striga showed the pages to Morana, “It’ll take over a month to have enough to properly bolster our numbers and even then, they won’t be an adequate army of their own.”

Hector turned his gaze to Lenore, he was going to snap if she didn’t speak up for him, mentally begging her to please use those pretty fucking words towards his benefit for once. It must have shown through in his eyes because she finally joined the conversation.

“Well then it’s a good thing you’ve hired all those mercenaries,” Lenore smiled to Morana, “Striga can move forward and begin the assault on Wallachia and as she goes along Hector will build our reinforcements.”

“At this rate, we will barely cover our losses,” Striga growled in displeasure, her opinion of Hector clearly growing less indulgent at this new information. 

“Let me see that,” Carmilla reached for the papers to evaluate for herself, “The worm is probably holding back somewhere. I still say we just chain him permanently in the forge.”

“It took a year and two Forgemasters to create Dracula’s army,” Lenore gave voice to Hector’s silent anger and he actually found himself grateful to her for it, just a little. “Did you really expect the same results from half the man-power in less than a month?”

Carmilla bristled but even as she opened her mouth to argue back, Morana cut in and Hector held back a smirk because… well, fucking Carmilla had just done the same thing to him. 

“We have what we need to get started and this will help us cover our losses along the way.” Morana mused, nails drumming on the table as she processed this information and reevaluated her own plans, “It is not what we had hoped for but… workable.” 

Hector took that note as his chance to move away from that side of the table and return to Lenore’s side where a chair had apparently been added for him. He really just wanted to leave, to go back his tower and… fuck, be alone? No. Not really, he didn’t want to be alone again in the silence but he sure didn't want to be here with them. There was no good option. 

The vampires continued to speak and Hector ended up sitting next to Lenore and staring idly into the fireplace. The heat felt nice in a room full of cold, dead hearts. 

“Be a good boy and get me a glass,” Lenore purred to Hector quietly before long, gesturing towards the liquor cabinet filled with goblets and decanters of a red liquid that he could only guess was blood. “There's something in there for you too,” she added with a smile.

It wasn’t as though he had anything else to do so Hector did as he was told, curious about how well the red liquid poured. Either it was exceptionally fresh or it was mixed with something; wine he guessed with the way it smelled of alcohol and iron. His gaze turned back to the cabinet and rows of red beverages that he didn’t trust for himself but tucked to the side was a bottle of white wine. It had to be the thing that Lenore was talking about so he poured himself half a glass, drained it, and poured again. 

Hector barely paid attention to what was being said beyond that, content to ignore them and remain occupied with keeping his and Lenore’s cups full. Although at some point he noticed something… interesting. Every time he refilled his glass a little, so did Carmilla. He finished his drink and she finished hers. He refilled his again, watching curiously as she did the same from the bottle on the table. 

The hint of a smirk touched on Carmilla’s lips, watching Hector from the corner of her eye as he figured it out. She was definitely keeping pace with him. 

Hector felt something burn within him. If this was a challenge, he refused to lose, not to _her_. He didn’t know what the alcohol difference between their drinks was and didn’t know how vampires handled their wine. It didn’t matter, he was too far in to care. 

Halfway through the bottle, he could see red rising in her cheeks, making him curious if vampires did have a natural internal warmth to them after all. Perhaps it was merely a subdued effect compared to humans, or something else extraordinary like the healing ability. 

Two-thirds of the way through the wine and Hector leaned back in his chair, properly relaxed for what felt like the first time in a long while. His gaze drifted around the room and wondered about this silly obsession with red everywhere. What was with vampires and the crimson colour anyway? Obviously there was the blood thing but if all he ate was green foods would he become obsessed with the colour green? Maybe Morana loved blueberries and that was why she wore so much blue? 

Carmilla was finishing her glass already, Hector quickly grabbed his own to keep up.

Three quarters through the bottle and Hector was feeling too warm and bloody bored.

Was there a clock in here? How did they tell the time without a clock or windows to see where the sun was? Wait, vampires, not the sun, the moon? Windows were strange things, Hector mused to himself, they were both inside and outside at the same time. He liked the outside, why didn’t they have meetings outside on the rolling grass hills and-oh right, snow. God this place really was horrible, ironically a combination of all the things he disliked in nature. It was almost funny and he chuckled quietly into his glass before realizing that he had made a sound and quickly silenced himself at Lenore’s glare. Carmilla just grinned.

By the time the last of the bottle was in Hector’s cup, he could feel a level of giddiness bubbling beneath the surface and he tried to hide a smile behind his hand. He turned his gaze back across the table to Carmilla, the vampire seemed fairly intoxicated as well. This was it, the last of the wine and all he had to do was finish his gulps before Carmilla did… he could claim victory.

“Well,” Lenore yawned and got to her feet as the conversation wrapped up, “I do believe it’s nearly dawn and I’m exhausted, good morning everyone,” she bid them farewell, “Come along Hector.” 

Eyeing the red-lipped vampire across the table, Hector squinted to keep his focus on task. He hadn’t had alcohol since back at Dracula’s castle well over a month ago and after an entire bottle, it showed. He swayed a little in his comfortable seat.

“Hector,” Lenore called his name, more forcefully.

The man startled and blinked, blue eyes wide and confused towards Lenore as he finally picked up on his name, “Yes?”

“We’re going now, pet. Come along,” Lenore bid him towards the door.

Hector glanced back around the table, Morana and Striga were rising to leave as well. Carmilla was grinning at him like a viper from across the table, his glass was still half full and hers was nearly done. No, no, no, he couldn’t lose. He also couldn’t risk angering Lenore again but he really, _really_ couldn’t lose. 

“ _Hector_!” Lenore snapped, growing impatient and her voice drew the Forgemaster to his feet obediently. Carmilla leaned back in her seat smugly, just relaxed enough that Hector managed to snatch his glass off the table and finished his drink, half a second before the white witch could react.

Letting the glass fall back to the table, Hector took Lenore’s outstretched hand and followed her out, glancing back at a seething Carmilla with a smirk and a very _fuck-you_ glare.

Hector stumbled after Lenore down the long corridors of the castle, eternally led by her cold fingers entwined with his. His staggered pace was clearly starting to get on her nerves though and she gave his arm a painful yank. 

“Hector! What the hell?” Lenore stepped aside to let the man bumble to the floor. “How much did you drink?”

Hector just stayed down, rolling onto his back and enjoying the cool stone beneath him, “Hmmm… all of it!” he declared happily and then giggled, “That’ll show her.”

Lenore raised a brow at the exceptionally inebriated mortal, “The fuck are you prattling on about? Show who?”

“Carmilla!” Hector hummed and sat up, arms hanging loosely at his sides, “Carmilla, bo-billa, cuntzilla!” he burst into a fit of giggles and fell over again. “Fuck her. I finished first! I WON!” he called down the large corridor, his voice echoing, “You hear that bitch?! I WON!” 

“God, is that why she was drinking so much tonight?” Lenore shook her head, looking down at the mess of a human Hector had become. 

His cheeks were a rosy colour with lips to match. He was pulling at the collar of his shirt and let out a moan, “So hot… Why is everything here so hot and so cold all at once?” He mumbled, “I’m sensing a theme,” he raised a hand and pointed at the things around them, the ground, “Cold,” then at himself, “Hot,” and then Lenore, “And you’re… both,” he decided.

Lenore raised a brow at that, crossing her arms over her chest as her patience for this mess was beginning to run out, “And what is that supposed to mean?”

“S’means you’re all cold and punishy one minute and then warm and carey the next.” Hector explained, his words slurring more than a little, “And like, your skin is cool but also, hot,” he gestured to her whole body with lazy arms, “Like, sexy hot. Cute hot? I dunno how but you’re pulling both of those off really well. There is a reason why I keep dreaming about having sex with you. Can’t get it outta my head, over and over-I think you’re making me dehydrated. I should drink something.” He looked around the empty hallway as though a glass would appear for him magically. 

Lenore pressed her lips together and then let out a soft laugh and shook her head at the man, her tolerance for the situation gracefully persisting after all. “I think you’ve had enough. Let’s get you home, Hector. Up, up now,” she nudged him with her foot. 

Hector let out a moaning whine but pulled himself to his feet again to keep walking-stumbling really-and thankful they were nearly back at his tower. “Does Morana like blueberries?” Hector asked as he decidedly went straight for the sitting room couch and flopped down on the green cushions with a sigh of relief. Stairs were stupid and being vertical was overrated.

Lenore hesitated at the doorway, an amused smile on her face as she tapped thoughtfully on the frame before entering, “Um, I think so, why?” She questioned, casting her gaze upon the man.

“Well, they’re not even blue though!” Hector exclaimed, “They’re _purple_ , so that doesn’t make sense…” 

That one had Lenore pausing, her eyes darting in a questionable look, not quite able to follow but laughing all the same. She shook her head and grabbed a nearby blanket to throw over his form.

“I won you know,” Hector snuggled into the couch.

“Yes, you sure showed her,” Lenore agreed fondly, turning to leave.

“Lenore,” Hector called the moment she had her hand on the door and she looked over her shoulder at him, “... Are you lonely?” 

“What? No,” Lenore turned fully towards him once more, her tone edging with some harshness, “What on earth made you think that?”

“Well, I get why you think I need a master. That I’m not so great at making my own decisions and… you might be right.” Hector admitted, rubbing at his eyes sleepily and letting out a yawn, “But what I can’t figure out is why you’d want _me_ as a pet. I like having pets but I’m a very lonely human. I hate how quiet the days are without any life around me and other humans are just, _so stupid,_ ” he made a face of disgust and then shook his head and nuzzled into the cushions, “Do beautiful vampire queens get lonely…?” 

Lenore’s features softened at his words and she stepped towards him again, “Hector? Are you saying that you’ve been lonely here?” She asked him, avoiding his own question entirely. 

“Hmmn… can I start forging tomorrow?” Hector redirected, mumbling wearily, eyes closed.

“Well aren’t you suddenly so eager?” Lenore teased although her lips pursed while watching him closely. “I told you, the room isn’t ready…”

“S’fine,” Hector slurred, “Room’s fine… Please Lenore? I’ll make you something nice. I miss my work… and my dogs… and fucking _grass,_ ” he rambled off, voice growing distant as his breathing evened out and sleep overtook the drunk Forgemaster.

Lenore watched him sleep for a moment, biting her lip as her eyes roamed the man’s resting form. Finally, she adjusted the blanket on him once more and patted that soft silver hair before she headed out of the tower and back to her own quarters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's always a little tricky trying to figure out what a character is like when drunk because well... they aren't themselves! lol
> 
> A little insight on our ruling council, they have such an interesting dynamic don't you think?
> 
> Poor Hector seems rather angry at Carmilla (go figure).  
> Did you enjoy Hector's drunk thoughts? What do you expect our dear boy will do next?  
> And how long will Lenore stay up wondering about blueberries?!
> 
> Special Thanks to GamerGamii and Nothingtea for checking my stuff!


	8. Forge

Carmilla strolled through the castle, just stretching her legs on an early evening walk when something curious caught her eye. The servants were bustling about with excess vigor, clearly being put towards some task. Following the trail of activity towards one of the old dining halls they hadn’t used in ages. A servant came bursting out the door, nearly crashing into Carmilla in the process and scrambled to bow and apologize to her before taking off down the hall.

Carmilla raised a brow at that and pushed into the room, wrinkling her nose at the smell of disturbed dust in the air. Her eyes narrowed in on the source of this chaos, “Lenore, what  _ are _ you doing?” 

“Good evening Carmilla,” Lenore greeted her sister, as she poured a cup of tea from a nearly empty pot, adding enough sugar to the brew to make Carmilla roll her eyes. “Sleep well?”

“Better than you did apparently,” Carmilla noted, her eyes flitting from the pot of tea to Lenore’s usually perfect appearance. Lenore had a weariness about her that she hid well from the world. The way Lenore’s eyes refused to focus on any singular thing, the drumming of her fingers on the side of the mug-the fact that it clearly wasn’t her first cup and there wasn’t even blood mixed in; these were the woman’s tells that few people knew her intimately enough to learn.

Lenore huffed in reply, bringing the mug to her lips for a sip of the caffeine, “Well if it wasn’t for your screaming orgy then I might have had a chance to rest,” she replied rather haughtily, gaze shifting around the room to make sure the servants were doing everything correctly. 

Carmilla’s eyes narrowed on Lenore suspiciously, watching those pretty eyes of her flit about. Something had certainly kept her up but Carmilla was positive it hadn’t been her screaming orgy. “They weren’t that loud,” the Styrian Queen scoffed, glancing around the room again herself, “Isn’t this supposed to be that shit-stick’s new forge? I thought Striga already set it up for him.”

There it was, Lenore’s other tell, the way she closed her eyes for half a moment to suppress a bout of murderous rage. Carmilla grinned at that, of course, this was about the fucking Forgemaster.

“Hector is in a delicate stage right now,” Lenore explained in a measured voice, “He needs to feel wanted. Throwing him in a dusty old room with a shit-stained hammer does not portray that very well. Nor does antagonizing him from across the council table,” she turned her gaze towards Carmilla now, a flash of red flaring in the brown.

Carmilla just laughed, strolling along the buffet table of food that was set to the side of the room. She briefly perused the selection but didn’t touch any of it. “It’s hardly my fault your little pet can’t hold his liquor. What’d he do? Piss on the carpet?”

“Well apparently he was able to hold onto his wine better than you,” Lenore quipped with a hint of a smile, “Or was that someone else that I heard retching their guts out last morning?” 

“Must have been,” Carmilla dismissed the notion but felt her insides burn at the comment. She decidedly changed the topic, “I still don’t get why we can’t just chain him to the altar up there.” She gestured towards it, “Have him shit out night creatures until he can’t stand. We have the rings to control them now.”

“To control the creatures, Carmilla, not Hector,” Lenore gave her sister a look, “He still has to choose to make them.”

“Well that seems like an oversight,” Carmilla ridiculed.

“It’s exactly how it should be,” Lenore explained, raising her chin in an air of superiority, “Forcing anyone to do anything, through magical means or otherwise, means it takes longer. But if he’s inspired to do it himself…” That smile was back on her lips, “I bet you I can have him working harder and faster than he ever did for Dracula.”

Carmilla’s perfectly arched brow, raised, “You’re going to  _ inspire _ him?” She questioned in a tone she knew Lenore wouldn’t like, quite judgemental.

Lenore huffed and sipped her tea, “Yes. But only if you stop antagonizing him before I’m finished. He already thinks you're a monster, you don’t have to prove him right at every turn.”

“Ah! I would never,” Carmilla touched a hand to her chest, over her black heart as if she were wounded. The motion brought a small giggle to Lenore’s lips. “Fine, fine, I’ll leave the little piece of shit alone.” Carmilla agreed, “Just don’t get too attached Lenore. Humans are fragile, and your little pet is as delicate as they come.”

“Oh, I’m aware,” Lenore agreed with a shrug, “But Hector’s stronger than you think. There’s a fire in him, it just needs… tending.” 

Carmilla gave a look of disgust at her words and shook her head. She didn’t care to know what Lenore meant by that, “Uhg. Whatever.” The white queen turned to leave, letting Lenore have her stuffy room and little Forgemaster pet. She had better things to do.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Hector had slept the entire day and into the next evening, eventually stirring with a splitting headache. He moved to roll over and let out a yelp as he fell off the couch and crashed onto the floor. Where the hell had his spacious bed gone?! Where was he?! He sat up sharply, a moment of panic rising in his chest before his eyes adjusted to the dark.

Oh… the sitting room.

“Uhhggg….” Hector moaned in pain, resting on the floor for a moment before finally getting to his feet and stumbling over towards the kitchen, fiercely grabbing some water. He winced at the light as he turned it on, hiding his face from it as it seared his retinas. All it did was make his head throb so he slapped the lights off again and sunk against the wall, sliding down the floor to drink his water.

What the fuck had happened last night? A lot of it was a blur, boring council meeting crap, wine… lots of wine. A smile lifted Hector’s features as he recalled the drinking contest or, as he preferred to name it; the epic battle against Carmilla in which he  _ won _ . The rest of it was an obscure chain of events but that one detail was clear as crystal. He had won. Hector raised the glass to toast himself and then drank deeply from it. Fuck yes!

Holy fucking hell his head hurt.

When he finally peeled himself off the floor again to retrieve more water, something else on the counter caught his attention. A note and a small bottle, a vial perhaps. He turned the lights back on, groaning painfully as he forced his eyes to adjust so that he could read the note.

_ ‘ _ _ Drink this and come to the forge, _

_ Xoxo Lenore’ _

Hector stared at the little notecard for a moment and then flipped it over to look for any further details or explanation, there was none. He turned to the glass vial, lifting the chalky looking liquid to the light and giving it a shake. His nose wrinkled in disgust at the white bits that floated around within it. Without further consideration he pulled out the stopper and drank it back like a shot. Fuck it, what did he have left to lose?

He waited a minute, then another and no immediate ill effects took place aside from the nasty film leftover on his tongue. So he drank more water and went upstairs to clean up and change.

Hector stood in front of the wardrobe with a frown. Someone had been here, they’d cleaned everything and added a few more clothing options as well. It looked like the bedsheets had been washed and remade too. Did Lenore’s servants just… come whenever he was away to clean? He certainly hadn’t seen anyone aside from those who had apparently bathed him a number of nights ago and he’d been far too out of it to actually remember their faces. Either way, he wasn’t really fond of the idea. This was supposed to be  _ his _ space, wasn’t it? He knew having someone else clean was supposed to be helpful but it felt more like an intrusion.

Shaking it off, Hector got dressed and added the new, heavily embroidered but warm coat to the outfit. He’d need it today with the chillier evening since the castle halls weren’t nearly as warm as some of the rooms. 

His mind was already trying to retrace the steps between here and the dusty forge that he had been dragged to previously. It was a large castle, he didn’t want to get lost and accidentally roam somewhere Carmilla or the others might be. The vampire bitch would probably be ticked about his victory last night and while that memory made  _ him _ smile, the thought of Carmilla’s wrath was sobering.

The biggest problem with heading to the forge was the first obstacle; leaving his tower. Hector stared at the door like it was an impassable object and found himself strangely anxious to pass through it without Lenore’s hand to lead him. Even though the tower was directly connected to the castle, it still felt like a separate entity. Safe.

As if he was safe anywhere in this God-forsaken place.

This was stupid, he had approval to leave the tower, it wasn’t like he was going to run away-the ring would put a quick end to that. But what if he met some guards or someone along the way who questioned him? They had no reason to believe him, Striga had made it quite clear that they didn’t trust him. Hector turned back and grabbed the note tucking it into his pocket and feeling a bit better about having that on him as proof. 

Fucking hell, it was like having a note from his parents to buy things from the alchemist.

_ Fucking hell _ , he had become utterly reliant on Lenore, hadn’t he? That in itself was nauseating enough for him to second guess himself. 

“Nope. Not thinking about it,” Hector mumbled to himself and pulled open the door to head through. He hesitated briefly once on the other side and let out a sigh of relief as the ring remained dormant for his first solo-adventure through the castle. Actually, his hangover headache had dulled by now too, presumably thanks to that chalky liquid, maybe this was going to be a good night? Now to find the forge.

Hector kept his head held high and walked with purpose, despite being more than a little uncertain of the path. He held his breath while passing by anyone else in the halls, guards or servants; curiously a variety of both vampire and human although fewer of the latter. 

No-one stopped him, a few looked his way but didn’t say anything and no one asked for his ‘note’ but every passing was like standing on the edge of a precipice. Did they know who he was? They had to, or they would have done something by now right? God, what had Lenore told them all about her little pet Forgemaster? 

Thank fuck he finally found the familiar-looking doors and pushed inside, anxieties dropping as relief flooded his system with the sight of those beautiful red locks, “Lenore-” he stopped, eyes just then registering the rest of the room. The curtains had been replaced and the windows left open to break the staleness from the air and bring a crisp, clean breeze inside. Lights had been fixed and now the place seemed to glow with a welcoming warmth.

Servants still milled about the room, dusting, sweeping, cleaning out old oil paintings to replace them with finer artwork. Lenore stood at the center of it all, directing the efforts with a warm mug steaming in her hand. She turned at the sound of Hector’s voice and smiled at the look on his face.

“Hector! I thought you might sleep right through the night,” Lenore teased as she approached him.

Hector’s gaze was still on the room, it was beautiful now, especially compared to the dreary place it had been before. “Yes, well…” He trailed off a bit, trying to process this all before he could even properly reply, “Humans aren’t naturally nocturnal. It takes some effort to keep your resting hours,” nevermind last night’s  _ wine _ . “Did… did you do all this for  _ me _ ?”

“Of course silly,” Lenore giggled and linked her arm with his as she stood next to him to view the space, “I won’t have you working in such abysmal conditions. Do you like it?”

“It’s stunning,” Hector had to admit while letting her hang onto him, too distracted to care and somewhat accustomed to her touches by now. “It’s like a whole different room,” he glanced at her as she stifled a yawn, “How long have you been working on this?” 

“I got up early,” Lenore shrugged, “Couldn’t sleep so I figured I’d be productive. There’s some food and tea over there if you haven’t eaten yet,” she gestured with her mug towards a small buffet that was set against one wall.

Hector’s stomach was still a touch nauseous from last night’s alcohol so he shook his head, “No thank you, may I?” He asked, wanting to explore forward.

“Of course,” Lenore just smiled and let him head to the altar, trailing after the mortal happily. 

Hector stepped up to the stone surface and his whole body seemed to relax. It was still here, his hammer, cleaned and restored to its former glory. He plucked it off the table, still just as firm in his grasp and smiled, admiring the glint of the coins in the light. The weight of the world seemed to melt from his shoulders and a different man took his place. His back straightened, the hammer in his hand was steady, giving a look of resolve to his features, certainty in an uncertain world. There was a spark of something behind those sapphire eyes, a curiosity for life and a fierceness that lay beneath his gentle surface. There was no doubt that  _ this _ was the person that had so interested Dracula once upon a time ago. He was complete again.

“Well, would you care to test out your new forge?” Lenore offered, her words drawing Hector’s bright eyes to turn back to her as if just realizing she was still there and staring at him.

“Yes, I would like that very much,” Hector agreed, unable to keep from smiling.

Lenore dismissed the servants who were cleaning, calling for someone to bring in something called her ‘special gift’ that had Hector more than second-guessing his compliance. Thankfully what they ended up dumping onto the forging altar before him was simply a dead dog. A chocolate lab from the looks of things, its neck snapped but otherwise in perfect condition.

Hector set his hammer aside for a moment, hands touching the soft, dark brown fur as he felt his heart break for the poor thing. “What happened to you?” He asked the dead beast gently as though it could somehow tell him. By the condition of the creature however, he could hazard a guess that it had been killed recently just for him to forge with and the thought of that brought a frown to his lips.

“It’s for you,” Lenore explained happily, “To keep. You can work on the other types of night creatures later but this one, Hector, is all yours,” she noted his frown and pursed her lips, “Is something wrong?”

“No…” Hector mumbled, trying to pick his battles because it didn’t  _ really _ matter that much. Except that his words were a lie and he knew Lenore could see right through him. He sighed, quick to correct himself, “Well, yes. Did you have this dog killed for me?”

Lenore raised a brow at that question, it had not been what she was expecting, clearly. “Yes. Is that a problem, Hector?” she smiled at the sheer absurdity of his discomfort over such a thing.

“Not exactly,” Hector replied, fingers still gently stroking chocolate fur, feeling around the neck to realign it as best he could, “What’s done is done and I appreciate the gesture. But I would prefer if you didn’t kill any more animals for my benefit.”

Lenore barely held back her laughter, the delighted sound ringing through the room before she touched a hand to her amused lips, “The great Forgemaster, Leader of Dracula’s Generals, Commander of undead armies, Murderer to thousands of humans, gets uncomfortable over one dead dog?”

Hector sighed, he knew she was going to make fun of him for this, “Animals are pure creatures. They don’t betray each other for gold or ruin each other’s lives for the sake of it. They do what they must to survive and generally live in peace otherwise.” 

“You only reanimate animals who have died naturally then?” Lenore questioned, her voice rising in surprise.

Hector shrugged and nodded, “I tend to, yes,” picking up his hammer again and holding it in front of him, “You might want to stand back,” he advised and Lenore wisely retreated a few steps as Hector set his mind to purpose. 

Clang

The sound rang like a bell in the cavernous room.

Clang

Blue sparks cast out from the impact and onto the creature, a leg twitched.

Clang

Blue light came to life in its dead eyes.

Clang

Hector stopped and let the spark of new life work it’s way through the dog’s body until the creature was able to rise to its feet. It shook out its fur, looking around the space and then turned to meet its master’s gaze and snarled harshly.

Hector just smiled and set the hammer aside, reaching up to pet it fondly. The dog immediately changed its tune and nuzzled into his hand before pushing forward to lick at Hector’s face, causing the Forgemaster to laugh as he gently wrestled the affectionate creature off. “Ah! Alright, alright, down,” he commanded with a grin, stepping back to let the lab hop off the altar. Of course it immediately began running circles around him, barking and trying to convince him to play. 

Lenore watched as Hector delighted in his newfound friend, the man kneeling to ruffle the creature’s ears and speak sweet nonsense to it. The vampire looked pleased as she stepped forward and the dog turned to look at her before surging forward to bark and jump around her too. “Why hello there, you’re an energetic one, aren’t you?” Lenore crouched a little to let the creature sniff at her hand, “So much like a normal dog.”

“A bit stronger,” Hector informed her, “Faster, but I didn’t want to alter her physical form. She’s perfect the way she is. Thank you, Lenore.”

“You are very welcome, Hector,” Lenore stood, letting the dog run around the room with all the energy of a newborn pup. “So? What’s her name then?”

Hector crossed his arms and touched a hand to his chin, “Hm, I haven’t named one in a while…” he watched the dog chasing its tail around the room, a mischievous grin touching the Forgemaster’s lips, “I’m half-tempted to call her Carmilla and command her to do tricks.”

Lenore’s laughter rang through the hall, a hand resting around her stomach while the other braced on the altar, “Oh that would be delightful. Unfortunately I don’t think the poor pup would survive very long once the real Carmilla heard of it.”

Hector laughed with her, rather enjoying the thought of Carmilla’s face when she heard, though the aftermath would certainly end bloody, “Ah, regrettably so. Another name then, let’s see… How about Penelope?” 

“Penelope?” Lenore raised a mirthful brow at the name, “Really?”

Hector gave her an indignant look in return, “Yes, what’s wrong with that? We can call her Penny for short.”

“Well, it’s your dog,” Lenore shrugged, fondly teasing, “ _ Penelope _ . Hm, just have to teach it to her then.”

“That’s not hard,” Hector chuckled, “She may look like a dog but she is a night creature, of sorts anyway. I just have to tell her.”

“Oh?” Lenore gave the dog quite the curious look and then turned her gaze back to Hector, “... Would you mind if I tried it then?”

Hector gave pause at that, confused at first as to how she intended to do that and then he remembered. He had actually forgotten about the rings for a beautiful moment there. Suddenly this was making a lot more sense, “... You only gave me a dog to test the bond of loyalty through the rings…” His body language shifted almost immediately, that spark in his eyes dulling and his shoulders becoming weighted once more. Everything she did had an ulterior motive, didn’t it?

Lenore turned to Hector immediately, cupping his face in her hands as though trying to keep his glow of excitement from dying out, “Hector, I gave you a dog because you’ve earned it. I meant what I said, she’s entirely yours. My sisters just need to know the rings work. That’s all.”

No spark returned to his eyes at her words, only quiet resignation as he tried to let himself believe her. “Very well,” the subdued Forgemaster conceded and gestured for Lenore to proceed.

The vampire’s thumbs gently stroked Hector’s cheeks, searching his eyes for a moment. Eventually stepping away, Lenore called the dog over to her and beamed when the chocolate lab responded, “Hello there.” She crouched down to the creature’s level, “My name’s Lenore. Can you shake my hand with your paw?” she held out her hand and the dog gave it a sniff before lifting his paw to place into her hold. “ _ Good girl,” _ Lenore praised in a tone that Hector found a little too familiar, “Your name is now Penelope. Don’t give me that look, it was his idea,” she pointed to Hector, “You will respond to Penelope or Penny. Now, bark for me, Penny.” Penny gave a bark, her tail wagging happily which earned the creature another fond, “Good girl!”

Hector felt nauseous watching this interaction. The similarities between how Lenore spoke to Penny versus himself was uncomfortable.

Lenore gave the dog a kiss and rose to her feet again, smiling back at Hector, “Well that wasn’t so hard, she’s very responsive.” She stepped towards him once more, evaluating the look in his eyes, “Aww, feeling jealous that someone else is getting all the attention?” She teased him and leaned in to kiss his cheek, much as she had for the dog, “You’re a good boy too, you know.”

“Oh? Do I get a treat?” Hector replied sarcastically, trying to bite back the bitterness in his tone.

“Well I’ve cleaned up your forge and given you a dog.” Lenore pointed out, “Was there something else you had in mind?” Her touches slid along his hips, beneath the warm jacket, successfully pulling Hector out of his brooding thoughts. His mind flitted instead to the last time she had made that motion, pushing open his shirt and drawing her tongue along his bare chest. She was smiling up at him just the same as before, somehow looking so innocent about it. Did she even know what she was doing to him?

Hector swallowed the thoughts back, as difficult as it was to do so, and let his eyes search the room for something,  _ anything _ to sidetrack the conversation. His gaze fell upon the buffet table, “... How is it that you always seem to have fresh fruit?” He asked rather suddenly.

Lenore blinked at his redirection and followed his gaze, “Oh, we have a greenhouse,” she explained simply, “It gives us access to all sorts of fresh fruits and vegetables year-round.” She looked back to the boy who was stubbornly trying not to give rise to his obvious urges. “I think we have a good blueberry harvest coming in soon,” a hint of a grin graced her lips as she walked her fingers up his chest in idle thought, “Would you like to see it?”

“I would actually,” Hector agreed, eager to get moving in a way that made it difficult for her to fondle his muscles. Plus, how long had it been since he saw something properly green, growing from the earth? 

Lenore was being surprisingly generous today, if not particularly touchy-feely. But how on earth did she seem to know exactly what he’d been missing so much of lately? Maybe she knew him better than he knew himself? Was he really better off under her care than his own? That was a scary thought.

Happily slipping her hand into Hector’s, Lenore led the way out of the forge, Penny trotting along after them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a couple things:
> 
> I've essentially assumed that the castle has electricity hence the lights. 
> 
> We've gotten a little more insight on Lenore and through Carmilla's eyes no less! I'm very curious to know your reactions and thoughts on that (and everything else to be honest)
> 
> PUPPY! 
> 
> Those are my thoughts, what are YOURS?! Tell me everything, I thrive off of your feedback <3
> 
> ANNOUNCEMENTS:  
> -I plan to post every Tuesday and Friday so there's some consistency for everyone.  
> -How would you guys feel about this being a multi-work series? Or do you like it when these things are one giant conglomerate of writing? There are places where it could make sense to have a natural break between "books" as it were so I could go either way. (No I'm not done writing but I do have a lot done thus far)
> 
> Special thanks to GamerGamii and NothingTea <3


	9. Home Sweet Home

Hector was running through a forest, too scared to dare look back, too panicked to stop despite the screaming strain on his muscles and the heaving breath that burned his lungs. A cacophony of voices shouting around him, filled with such unwarranted hatred. 

_ ~You don’t belong here. _

_ What the fuck is that? _

_ Get away from me! _

_ Freak! _

_ That’s just wrong. _

_ Monsters! _

_ It’s unnatural, you're an unnatural boy. _

_ Get away from me!~ _

Hector tossed and turned in bed, nightmares full of angry people, death and horrifying screams. He startled awake with a yell, shooting up in bed as terror filled his eyes. He had to run, to get away and-something soft touched his trembling hand, directing his attention to the chocolate lab nuzzling her snout into his fingers. Penny whined up at her master, sensing his discomfort. 

Some of the tension left his body as he moved closer to wrap his arms around the dog, “It’s alright Penelope,” Hector breathed, burying his face into her fur and letting her presence soothe him, eternally grateful that he didn’t have to bear these nightmares alone anymore. “At least no one can chase us out of this home.”

Fuck, he was exhausted. It was too early to be awake and yet it had been a while since Hector had felt the sun glowing on his face so he rose and threw open the curtains. He had no interest in nightmare filled sleep anyway. The warmth of the afternoon hit his skin and helped to drown out the after-effects of the nasty dream. Up, dressed and seeking the sweet aid of caffeine from a restless day, Hector headed for the kitchen. 

The sun had barely begun to set when he was brewing a second pot of tea to hopefully get him through the evening when he heard a knock at the front door and his brow furrowed in confusion. The last number of days he had been meeting Lenore at the forge, apparently she liked to watch him work. She had actually been good company too.

“... Who is it?” Hector called cautiously as it occurred to him that it might not  _ be _ Lenore. Thoughts of being dragged from his tower again, summoned by one of the other ruling sisters, it put him on edge, to say the least. Lenore had promised that it wouldn’t happen again but still...

“The tooth fairy,” Lenore’s voice called back and Hector relaxed, chuckling at her humor. 

“Well I haven’t got anything for you then,” Hector opened the door for her and smiled, “Unless you intend on pulling teeth out of my head.” He left the door ajar for her to enter and returned to the kitchen, “But I would much rather offer you tea instead.” 

Lenore giggled a little and shook her head, declining the beverage as she remained in the doorway, “May I come in?”

“Aren’t we a little past those pleasantries by now?” Hector teased as he poured himself a mug of the hot liquid and turned back to face her with it, leaning comfortably against the edge of the counter.

“If you think I’ll ever be over having  _ manners _ , Hector, then you haven’t been paying very close attention,” Lenore replied with what would have been a haughty attitude if she didn’t break it with a fond smile. 

“Fair enough,” the mortal shrugged and sipped his tea as a breath of comfortable silence passed between them. This was going to be a rough night, he hadn’t been sleeping well for awhile now and it was weighing on him.

Lenore was still standing in the doorway, “Well?”

Hector blinked at her, “Well what?” 

“Are you going to invite me in, or not?” Lenore cocked an eyebrow at him, that teasing grin still on her face but there was something else… something more that Hector couldn’t place. “I’ll get cold waiting for you to answer,” she added at his thoughtful pause.

“You don’t get cold,” Hector replied, his voice static as the gears turned in his head; something was off, this wasn’t normal. “... You  _ can’t _ come in, can you?” Sapphire eyes locked onto Lenore, like a mouse just catching onto the cat’s game.

Lenore’s teasing grin grew wider, revealing her pointed teeth and giving her a sinisterly delighted smile, “Oh  _ good for you, _ Hector,” she actually looked so  _ proud _ of him, “Perhaps you have been paying attention.”

Hector could feel the colour draining from his face as she looked at him like that, “But  _ how _ ?” He was still confused. Despite actually realizing one of her deceptions before stumbling headlong into it, he still didn’t understand how this was possible. “I know that vampires cannot cross the threshold of a human’s home, even Master Dracula was bound by that law. It was why he wanted an army of night creatures and not just vampires. But you’ve  _ been _ in here before.”

Lenore watched Hector’s brow furrow. She was giggling at his utter bewilderment as he tried to understand and it was grinding on his nerves. Hector didn’t appreciate the way she was watching him like a puppy trying to find treats on a high shelf, like he could smell they were there but just couldn’t quite reach it. “So then,” she prompted, as though giving the pup a little boost, “What’s changed?”

Hector looked around the room, the architecture? No, that was the same. He had brought some books from the library but how could that affect the entranceway? It was strange to see Lenore dancing just outside his door, eagerly waiting for him to work it out but… 

“ _ Nothing _ has changed, Lenore,” Hector frowned, he couldn’t think of a single thing that was different. Certainly it had been a little while since Lenore had come out here but there wasn’t a thing that had been altered between then and now. “This is  _ your _ castle. Are you just trying to mess with me?” He accused, setting his tea aside in frustration now. 

“Oh come now, Hector, you’re so close,” Lenore seemed to be rooting for him, her hands pumping in excited fists as she cheered him on, “You’ve come so far, you can figure this out.”

Hector grit his teeth, annoyed by her tone and irked by her mere morsel of a clue. His gaze searched along the doorway, the walls, ceiling and floor. “The structure’s the same. Does it matter how long I’ve been here?” 

“Getting closer,” Lenore licked her lips with anticipation.

“... Is it,  _ me _ ?” Hector asked after a long pause, “Are you saying that I’ve changed?”

Lenore giggled and danced on her toes, “Oh  _ so close _ , you nearly have it!” 

The man puzzled, fingers scratching at his head as he glanced around the room again, searching, wanting more clues. Had he really changed? How? He’d had this tower now for a while but…

Blue eyes widened and his mouth went dry. He had felt such an invasion of privacy when he realized that servants had been in the tower to clean. Hector’s own words from mere hours earlier echoed back in his ears ~ _ At least no one can chase us out of this home. _ ~ 

“No,” Hector breathed, the world felt like it was spinning around him. Penelope whined at his side and Hector grabbed behind him at the counter for stability. “I made this... my home,” when the ever-loving fuck had he started thinking of this place as  _ home _ ? As  _ his _ tower? When had he stopped dreaming of grassy fields and yellow flowers beneath the sun? 

It was Lenore, it was always Lenore. She’d been saying it from the start, worming the idea into his head until it stuck.

~ _ it’s not healthy to let work and home life mingle too much.  _

_ I might have gotten a touch carried away when he wasn’t home. _

_ Let’s get you home, Hector. _ ~ 

Lenore was clapping her hands, bouncing with delight, “Bravo Hector! Oh, good boy. You figured it out! I knew you could get there.”

Hector felt sick. Trembling fingers tore through silver hair as he sunk down to his knees. Every time, every fucking time he thought that he had nothing left to lose, she found something new. She would slip those dastardly claws into his soul and draw out just a little more, painting him into something of her own design. He wanted to go home, to his  _ real _ home but that place was just a memory now. Lenore was right, his rolling grass hills and out of the way cottage were probably in ashes. And he did feel safe in this tower, he had Penelope here, God his heart was so torn.

“You  _ expected _ this to happen,” he accused, the realization of it all crashing into him like a wave against the rocks, without mercy. “Always asking if you could see me, if you could come inside whatever room I was in. You just didn’t want me to notice when it actually  _ mattered. _ ” 

Lenore beamed, her smile radiated pride at him for figuring it out all on his own. “Well partly. I  _ do _ actually care about manners you know.”

A manic laugh dropped from Hector’s lips, deeply hollow like it was accessing that pit of despair that opened in his chest during his darkest moments. He shook his head, dropping his face into his open palm.

Lenore tilted her head curiously at the unusual reaction, “Is something funny, Hector?”

His shoulders shook with the broken amusement as he wrapped his arms around himself, tears of hysteria filling his eyes. “I finally have a place that’s safe from you.” 

The vampire blinked at that, “Safe from  _ me _ ?” She gave the smallest of smiles, like she was testing if it was a joke.

“You can’t touch me in here,” Hector’s voice broke with a mad cackle while tears streamed from the blue wells of his eyes, “You can’t take my hand and lead me away. You can’t lean in too close or hang off my arm or whisper in my ear.”

The smile faded from Lenore’s lips, this wasn’t a joke. “Hector…”

“I could stay in here the rest of my short fucking life and never have to worry about your fucking hands on my fucking waist again.” His whole body trembled, that insane smile on his lips as he looked around, “Locked up safe in  _ my _ fucking tower.”

Lenore’s hand rested on the outer door frame as she leaned barely forward. Hector wondered what would happen if she accidentally poked her nose inside, “Hector that’s enough. You’re not thinking straight.”

The mortal giggled violently, descending into a crumpled mess on the floor. His breath came in ragged chokes around the laughter and tears as his body shook, trying perilously to hold itself together.

“Hector! Invite me in right now.” Lenore demanded firmly.

He shook his head at her, snickering like a nervous idiot at the sight of her anger.

“HECTOR!” 

“God, I’ve hated you for so long.” 

The vampire paused at that, rather looking like he had just slapped her in the face from across the room.

“But do you want to know the best part?” He croaked, barely pulling himself back together enough to sit up again with his back to the base of the counter. 

Lenore was stiff, staring through the open space between herself and this crazed mortal man.

“If I kept you out forever…” Hector swallowed back the lump in his throat as the last of the laughter petered out on his lips. “I’d miss you too much,” he whispered, barely audible like it was a secret he’d rather not share but knew that her vampiric ears would pick it up anyway. “I  _ hate _ having you crowd into my space but then it’s lonely when you’re  _ not _ .” Hector buried his face in his hands, lips trembling and his legs curling towards himself, “I  _ hate _ the way that you talk down to me but it feels so  _ good _ to know when I’ve done well. I want to be independent but I’m scared to leave this-” he choked a laugh, “My  _ home _ , without you.” 

Reddish-brown eyes continued to peer at Hector from the open doorway. Lenore’s face was an unreadable mask, emotionless, processing his spoken thoughts without giving any of her own away in return. “Hector, invite me in,” she insisted with a gentle, measured tone.

Hector lifted his gaze to meet hers, trails of tears still marking their way down his cheeks, “Are you angry with me?” He held his trembling arms around himself.

“Hector-”

“Please don’t be,” the man begged, his voice small and fragile. The world had bestowed upon him the cruelest of jokes and he couldn’t handle it, “You’re the only living person in the world who’s truly seen me and didn’t hate what they saw. Who doesn’t think what I do is wrong or unnatural. And it’s pathetic because I know that I’m just a lesser creature to you but please, promise me you’re not mad.”

Lenore’s lips pursed as he spoke and she waited a moment and when he didn’t continue she finally responded, “Let me in, Hector.” 

Hector swallowed, watching her with fear and anxiety clawing at his insides, ripping into the soft flesh of his organs. He withdrew a little, apprehensively clutching at his own chest as though his internals were spilling out onto the floor and it was up to him to hold them inside. And then he resigned himself, slumping back against the counter as his arms dropped to his side, letting the pieces of his heart fall where they may as his gaze dropped numbly to the floor, “Come in.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Hector truly begins to break... poor boy
> 
> I had so many emotions in writing this one, tell me yours!!!
> 
> Special thanks to GamerGamii and NothingTea!


	10. Love Me

Lenore stepped through the doorway and stood in front of the mess of a man, his emotional wounds open and bleeding into the surrounding space in a way that would ruin the carpet if any of it was tangible. The vampire woman reached down and held her open palm for him to take, “Come with me.”

Hector lifted his gaze to the soft, pale fingers, not daring to raise it any further for fear of what he might see waiting in her eyes. He slipped his hand onto hers, feeling the familiar cold of her fingers against his warm palm and let her pull him up to his feet. Lenore led him up the stairs from there, Hector’s eyes still solely focused on her hand holding his, her grip a lead for him to follow much like a lamb being led to the slaughter. He could feel the strength beneath those lithe fingers, knew the bite of her claw-like nails and understood that none of that was as great a weapon as her words. 

Words that even when held back, left daggers in his heart. Her silence in climbing the long staircase made his lip tremble in fear. Was she angry? She must be outraged with this level of silence. He couldn’t blame her, he had fallen apart and told her everything he hated about her. What a stupid fucking thing to do when she was the only one standing between him and a life of pure misery. You don’t bite the hand that feeds you. 

But what would happen now that he had? At least when Carmilla was pissed, she would just beat him up and then be done for a while. Lenore could unravel his heart and mind altogether, she could leave him bare and empty and forever lost in ways that no one else could. 

~ _ Don’t break her heart _ ~

It had been a wiser warning than Hector could have realized at the time. Morana didn’t even need to follow it up with her own intimidation. Lenore was a monstrous threat on her own. Her wrath would be unstoppable. He was doomed; probably from the moment he’d accepted that first offering of a blackberry from her outstretched hand. How had he ever thought that he could play her game back then? Outsmarting Lenore was not a thing for mere mortals to attempt.

Stepping into the open space of the bedroom, Lenore turned to face him and when Hector didn’t meet her gaze she reached up to cup his jaw and guide those sapphire eyes to look at her. She gently stroked the tear stains from his skin, frowning a little as new ones spilled to take their place. Rising onto her tiptoes, Lenore drew him closer and licked the fresh tear from his cheek, kissing the corner of his eye afterwards. “No more crying,” she instructed with a gentle but firm tone.

Hector did his best to swallow it back but her words just drew more tears from his eyes, “I’m sorry,” he trembled, trying so hard to stop, “I’m so-”

“Sshh, sshhh,” Lenore hushed him, running her fingers up through his hair, the sensation drawing his eyes closed as she guided his head to rest on her shoulder. She held him there, her reassuring touches giving him permission to wrap his arms around Lenore and hold on for dear life. He was just waiting for her tone to change, her mood to flip and for her to ruin him all over again.

But she held him until the tears finally stopped and then she kissed those remnants away too. Gentle hands fixed his mess of hair and straightened out his collar before she gave him a comforting smile, “There you are. Much better now. You look tired Hector, you didn’t get much sleep did you?”

Hector just shook his head, still bracing himself for the other shoe to drop. What was she going to do?

“I’m not angry, Hector,” Lenore consoled him, “A bit upset, but not angry.” He opened his mouth to say something but she pressed a finger to his lips and hushed him again, shaking her head. “I’m taking away your library privileges. You’re grounded. You are to stay in the tower, since you like it  _ so _ much, until further notice-when you’re not forging that is, obviously. Although you’re taking tonight off, you need some  _ proper _ rest, Hector. But you  _ will _ make up the lost time for Morana’s schedule, understood?”

Hector blinked at her, confusion quite clear across his face.

“Is that understood, Hector?” Lenore demanded rather firmly.

“Y-yes,” Hector agreed quickly, “I can… I can do that.” Lenore knew best, she knew him better than himself. If she said this was what he needed then he wasn’t going to argue. But he still didn’t understand, she was being so  _ lenient _ considering what had just happened, “W-why are you so calm about this?” He had said he’d hated her. He expected outrage not… a grounding. He had done far less to receive a far worse punishment than that.

“Oh Hector,” Lenore sighed, ever so fondly as she cupped his cheek, “When you look at me with those big, sad, human eyes, I just can’t stay mad. You really just don’t know any better, do you?”

Hector’s fingers trembled at his sides, utterly bewildered by Lenore. He still didn’t understand but maybe that was the point? He  _ couldn’t _ understand. Vampires really were the superior species. Whatever small glimpses of insight he thought he might have were just that, glimpses. They weren’t akin to cats or dogs or any other lesser creatures. He could never truly comprehend the full scope of their reality. How small he must look to her, how helpless and pathetic he was, floundering in the dark. He was like a dog barking at its own reflection and not understanding that there wasn’t another dog.

“Lenore,” Hector swallowed and reached up to take a gentle hold of the hand on his cheek, the cold fingers soothing on his skin.

“Yes, Hector?” She smiled at him so affectionately.

He closed his eyes for a moment, still so uncertain but also feeling like her cold touch on his cheek was the only thing holding him together. He felt raw, cracks spidering across his heart that threatened to shatter entirely. He was trying to keep his breath steady but he was sure she could feel his heartbeat picking up, threatening to collapse under the pressure. “May I kiss you?” 

His eyes opened again to see the smile on her lips grow, “You may.”

Hector leaned forward to kiss Lenore with soft anticipation, as if he was still afraid that she would change her mind as she was in her right to do so. But she kissed him back and then Hector’s hands wrapped around her, pulling Lenore in deeper to drink passionately from the contact of her lips. 

Lenore’s fingers carded through silver hair and then began pushing Hector’s jacket off, letting it fall to the floor where her own cloak shortly followed. She ripped open his shirt, the refreshing touch of her hands across his chest made his nipples stiffen as he shivered at the cold, her gentle grip settling around his waist to thumb small circles in his skin at the band of his trousers.

Hector moaned and wavered enough that Lenore pulled the man over to the bed and on top of her. A wolfish grin touched her lips as Hector quickly set to the task of pleasing her, eager to make up for all his past blunders. 

Clothes quickly became a thing of the past and Hector nestled between her legs, kissing up and down Lenore’s thighs until she laughed and accused him of stalling. He gave her a pout in reply; he was just trying to enjoy every second, every touch of her sweet skin and taste of her lips.

Hector drew his tongue up her abdomen and kissed along her chest, imitating every delectable thing she had been doing to him for God knows how long now. He knew every touch by heart, he had dreamt about every little encounter so many times that it felt natural to put the pieces of them together onto her skin. He wanted nothing more than to ply her body with every delectable stroke and kiss that she had been torturing him with. 

By the time Hector was pressing his hard cock to slide along her entrance, Lenore was whimpering for him, “Fuck, Hector, if you don’t put that in me right now, I am going to do far worse than grounding you,” she threatened vaguely but with the way she was moaning about it, Hector guessed he could press his luck a little. 

The mortal man smiled at that and kissed at her neck, persisting with the way he teased and pressed just enough to make her thrust for more but he always pulled back to keep from going any deeper. He had been fantasizing about this for too long, he wanted her to understand a fraction of what he’d been craving from her when he’d been too conflicted to follow through.

It wasn’t much longer before the vampire let out a primal sound, hooking her leg around Hector and rolled to forcefully flip their positions and pin him beneath her. A long, satisfying moan tumbled through her throat as she finally took in his full length. Her muscles tightening around him in the first tremors of her orgasm.

Hector gasped as he fell onto his back, blue eyes hazing with bliss as he reached for her blindly. Lenore just snatched his hands from the air and pinned them down above his head, rolling her hips to work the entire breadth of his cock. Hector became lost in a sea of indulgence as his body rocked with hers, flowing together like waves off the shore to crash against a ship of euphoria.

Lenore shuddered and moaned as a second peak in her pleasures hit, losing her grip on Hector as she leaned back to ride it out. Hector reached up, hands finding Lenore’s hips to help her control the rising tides. She was  _ warm  _ now, and that in itself amazed him let alone the sheer thrill of feeling her convulse around his twitching cock in a way that was enough to-

“Wait,” Lenore’s sweet lips whispered to him, lowering back down to press the length of her body against his, sweat and skin-contacting in an electric way, “Not yet, Hector,” her voice was breathless in its command, overwhelmed by her own intense ecstasy. 

A whimper shuddered from the poor man's throat that brought a smile to Lenore’s lips. Her gaze settled on the desperate crease of his brow as he tried so hard to hold himself back. He didn’t know how he found the voice to beg as he looked up at her stunning figure, “P-please, Lenore I-” 

Lenore rolled her hips again, painfully slow, causing a quake in his breath that silenced his pleas and made his head drop back onto the mattress. His grip on her hips tightened and then faltered and fell to the sheets around them, searching for something that might ground him better and help him survive this unravelling. 

Lenore licked her lips and grinned down at Hector as the man squirmed and writhed beneath her, caught in between her command and his own desires. Her tongue slid along his exposed neck as she steadied the rhythm of her hips to bring rise towards her third crescendo, still denying Hector his. The man’s cock throbbed with need within her, burying deep with every thrust until Lenore was moaning deeply once more. 

Sensing another of her orgasms coming, Hector seized the moment of her distraction and surged forward to tackle her beneath him again. His lips sucking on her breast and kissing up her chest, fingers gripping beneath her backside and holding her up at a delicious angle for every thrust. 

“Hector!” Lenore gasped as suddenly she was the one unraveling. Her fingers found purchase on his skin as she mewled sweetly, “Yes, Hector, now, come with me,” her voice split into a melodious cry and it was all Hector needed to join her in the throws of blessed rapture.

His throbbing member spilled warm seed that filled the vampire’s insides, drawing out the ripples of euphoria that cascaded through Lenore and rocked Hector to his very core. It left the man winded, arms trembling just to hold himself over her and so he sunk down and rested his head next to hers on the blankets to try and catch his breath.

Lenore let out an especially satisfied moan, drawing her fingers up and into his silver locks of hair, “Mmn… Good boy.” She purred in his ear and the sweet sound brought a strange warmth to his chest. Hector hummed in reply, unable to summon his voice for anything more as he nuzzled into her collar. Lenore let out a blissful laugh at his nose on her neck and pushed him off her, “That  _ tickles _ !”

Hector smiled, rolling lazily to the side with limp extremities, utterly relaxed and immensely elated from the activity. His toes were tingling. 

“Not even going to defend yourself?” Lenore teased, cuddling up to him. Hector’s body immediately moved to accommodate hers, entangling himself with her comfortably. She was still warm, a marvel of superior biology and grace. She was beyond fathoming, this vampire goddess that had plucked him from the filth of the human race and gifted Hector with her undeserving love. Not love as humans understood it, not the sort that ended in marriage and equality and happily ever afters but it was still a kind of love and Hector was done trying to fight it.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

  
  


Lenore watched Hector’s relaxed features, examining the way his breath evened out and became steady with the rhythm of sleep. She was terribly proud of him, he had clearly paid attention to his training; every touch, every sweet dream that she had given him, he had learned it well and implemented it better.

It was a shame that men, human men in particular, just couldn’t seem to stay awake after a solid fuck. The post-coital effect always seemed to lull them to sleep while it left Lenore feeling rather energized. She had persistent thoughts of remaining here awhile, to be there when Hector woke, to draw him into another round of sweet copulation-ah, but the night was still young and he really seemed like he needed the rest. Poor boy looked about ready to sleep for a week after all that. They were going to have to do  _ something _ about his stamina.

Smiling at her sweet pet, Lenore stroked his hair one last time before stealthily slipping out of bed and tucking the mortal beneath the covers. Clothing back on, she headed downstairs as she refastened her cloak although something curious caught her vampiric ears and she paused to listen. There was the faint clanking of armour coming down the castle hall towards Hector’s tower, two guards by the sound of it. It wasn’t the most unusual thing, guards did patrol nearly every area of the castle but Lenore had a feeling they weren’t coming this way for that purpose.

Stealing down the rest of the stairs to the main landing, Lenore waited until she heard them on the other side and opened the door just as one of the guards was reaching for the handle. “Oh hello boys,” the diplomat greeted cheerily, as though she had been ready to leave and they just  _ happened _ to be on the other side of the door. “What brings you here?”

The pair of vampire guards paused and glanced at each other before the first one responded, “Lady Morana sent us to fetch the Forgemaster,” he explained, “He was supposed to report to the forge an hour ago.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Lenore gave them a look of innocence and stepped back into the tower, opening the door wide to let them pass, “He’s upstairs.”

The guards bowed to her before stepping forward to pass Lenore but the moment that the first one entered through the door his pale skin began turning red, blood beginning to instantly boil beneath the surface. He tried to stumble back out the door with a scream but Lenore seized him around the mouth and slammed his body into the wall just inside the entranceway. “Shush now, he’s  _ sleeping _ .” Lenore scolded gently, the red beginning to glow in her eyes, “So peacefully too, poor thing’s exhausted.” 

The second guard had witnessed the first’s reaction and managed to avoid crossing the threshold entirely, a look of horror on his face as he watched his partner begin to steam and burn. Lenore turned her gaze to the vampire that remained in safety, a maniacal grin on her lips, “What’s the matter? I thought Morana told you come fetch my pet?” She prompted the terrified vampire while still holding the other writhing guard in place, muffling his screams of agony beneath her firm grasp. The guard burned and disintegrated into ash that fell between Lenore’s fingers.

“Penny,” Lenore called the night dog and it trotted over, happy tail wagging. “Kill any human that enters this tower without approval.” She ordered firmly while brushing the dust from her hands. The blue eyes of the reanimated dog burned brightly as she barked in reply, the only indication of its unnatural origin causing the vampire guard to take a startled step back. 

Lenore turned fully to face the second-and now only-guard, advancing on him slowly as she stepped through the fearsome doorway, “Hector is mine. Not Morana’s, not Striga’s or Carmilla’s.  _ Mine _ . And no one needs to go fetching him because he comes when  _ I _ call. You lot are to stay away from him, don’t touch him, don’t look at him and stay the fuck out of his tower. No one enters here without my express permission. No guards, no servants or slaves, not vampire or mortal otherwise. Is that clear?”

The guard swallowed thickly and nodded in haste.

“Good. And another thing,” Lenore’s teeth grew long with a vicious hiss, “Get out of my fucking sight.”

The vampire ran. Lenore smiled and relaxed as she watched him flee, her red eyes burning with glee in the dim evening light. She turned back to give Penny a pat on the head, “Good girl. Guard Hector for me darling, and don’t leave his side,” Lenore instructed before departing, the dog obediently trotting up the stairs as she left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to leave you in suspense all morning! I had a very busy start to my day lol. 
> 
> Well, not sure what else I can say about this chapter other than "Hot Damn." 
> 
> Was it what you were expecting? Or was it so much more ;) lol  
> I'm always interested in your thoughts and observations, leave me a comment below! And if you like my work, please drop a Kudos <3 they make me happy!
> 
> Special thanks to GamerGamii and NothingTea!


	11. Place Your Bets

Hector slept the rest of the night and through half the day. It wasn’t until he woke that he realized just how tired he had been. The creeping fears and anxieties and general stress of the situation had been wearing him thin, night by night and day by day until he had utterly forgotten what it felt like to be refreshed at all. To actually wake feeling that warm satisfaction of a solid sleep, to have his mind prickling with that sense of possibility for the hours to come. 

It was lovely.

He wanted to hold onto that feeling as long as possible, eyes closed and basking in it.

Daylight peaked along the edges of the curtains still, finding its way through the smallest gap and onto Hector’s face. He rolled over to avoid it and buried himself in blankets and pillows, revelling in this feeling of calm safety and God, the smell of Lenore was still there. Beautiful and tingling his senses with dreamy memories of the night before, it took some effort to throw the blankets away and groan. His arm flopped over his eyes to block out the light instead, “Fuck. Fuckfuckfuck, I’m the stupidest shit alive.” Bliss broken. 

Why did he keep falling for her? Why did he continue to get so caught in her clutches that even when he saw the web she had spun around him, he still got wrapped up in it? It was almost like her intricate machinations were so enthralling that he couldn’t resist. But perhaps what bothered him most was how good it felt to give in.

There was a whine as Penelope rolled over into Hector, pressing against his side and bringing comfort to her mortal master. Hector curled around the dog and buried his face into the soft fur, using the sweet smell of death to drown out the scent of Lenore from his nostrils before he could get carried away by it. That woman seemed to stir every primal instinct he had in him and it was a struggle not to lose himself in it every time he woke. 

“What can I do Penny?” Hector sighed heavily, “I need her to be happy… She’s actually quite pleasant when she’s not angry.” He rose to go open the curtains and looked around the room,  _ his _ room. His  _ home _ , with the view of rolling snow-covered hills and white forests instead of the grassy fields and yellow flowers of his past. “It’s not the worst thing in the world is it?” Hector mused as he contemplated his surroundings, perhaps he was warming up to them. 

This place was now safe from all the vampires of the castle- _ except Lenore _ . He had certainly been delusional in thinking that he could keep  _ her _ out. Of course she could have starved him out or called some human servants to come drag him from his disillusioned sanctuary from her. Either way, she would have destroyed this little haven if he hadn’t let her in. Of course, he’d let her into more than just his home last night. Fuck. He needed to stop thinking about that.

Hector paused as he turned his thoughts in a new direction. Had there been other vampires trying to get to him? Was that why she’d been so insistent on him making this place home? It  _ had _ been strange that Carmilla had been leaving him alone here, with how much she had delighted in his pain beforehand, he had been sure she would seek him out at some point. But if Lenore was keeping her away, actually following through on her promise to  _ protect _ him…

That felt strange to contemplate. If she had wanted him to merely  _ believe _ he was safe then she would have told him about all the horrors she was defending him from.  _ Not _ telling him though… Did that mean she  _ actually _ cared? Or was letting him figure this out just another manipulation?

Hector let out a groan so deeply ingrained with ire that it made Penny whine in protest. He couldn’t keep up with Lenore, his head was spinning with the mere attempt of it. Clearly the only hope that he had in all of this was to just play her game and hope she didn’t get bored. And to enjoy the good  _ with _ the bad.

At least he had his forging work to look forward to, speaking of which, he had time to make up for. Maybe if he managed to catch up then Lenore would lift his grounding? The thought brought a brief moment of giddy hope that turned sour as Hector made a disapproving face at himself. He really shouldn’t be so happy to please her, should he? … Should he?

Glaring down at the ring on his hand in abject confusion, Hector tried to hold onto his hatred. This was the very thing that made it possible for her to ground him like a child. It was a constant reminder of his captivity and servitude just sitting there, winding red and black and promising many a horrid thing if he took one wrong turn. He wasn’t eager to test it again of course; one encounter had been more than enough to deter future attempts. 

Hector shook his head, directing his thoughts to the forge instead; the hammer’s resounding ring bringing more worthy life to the bodies of undeserving mortals. Creating noble, loyal creatures that would scourge humanity and restore balance with nature. He could do that and in so doing, perhaps keep Lenore happy while he searched for some way through this - if there even was one. All his secret searching through the library had come up infuriatingly empty thus far. It seemed likely that Lenore had made sure to remove any texts related to the ring and its type of magic. 

He needed to get his library access back to keep looking, to try and find something she might have missed although after last night it seemed rather fruitless to keep trying. Lenore was always ten steps ahead, he was probably better off just… being a good boy.

Lenore had so casually taken away his privileges around the castle, she could just as easily take back the gift of this gilded cage or heaven forbid… Penny. He looked down at the night dog, a small ache in his chest at the thought of losing her. The notion made him uncomfortable so he turned his mind to the task on hand.

He would make new night creatures, appease Lenore and the ruling council with an army greater than Dracula’s so that they would never question his ill-gotten loyalty. And if the chance ever presented itself… he would ruin them all. Well, it was nice to have something to dream about anyway.

Until then, there seemed no harm in enjoying the benefits of Lenore’s favour. To take the good, with the bad.

“Come, Penelope,” He called to the dog who was already pursuing him out of the room, “We have work to do.”

  
  


**-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-**

“I can’t believe we’re actually ahead of schedule,” Morana commented a number of days later, viewing some paperwork as she sat in the council room with Striga, Carmilla had just arrived as well. 

“Have you seen some of the creatures he’s been making?” Striga sounded impressed as well, “They’re huge. Just one of those is like having an extra squad of vampire soldiers, all on its own.”

“Uhg, the two of you sound as in love with him as Lenore,” Carmilla drawled as she finished pouring herself a glass of blood-wine. “But I suppose it  _ was _ rather ingenious of me to bring him back here,” She commended herself with a grin, always one to sing her own praises.

Striga gave Carmilla a rather snarky look, “Oh yes, half beaten to death so that it could take this long just to get him working. Imagine if he could have started sooner-”

“Good evening!” Lenore chimed happily as she burst through the doors with Hector following faithfully after her. The vampire settled comfortably in her seat as Hector automatically went to get her a glass of blood-wine. “What are we talking about?”

“We were just discussing our next moves into Wallachia, now that we’re ahead of schedule,” Morana explained before the other two could continue their bickering. “I must say, well done Lenore.”

“Oh don’t thank me, it was all Hector,” Lenore beamed proudly at her pet as she accepted the glass from him and he sat next to her. “I just woke up one evening and he’d been working away for hours already. Hasn’t really stopped since,” She chuckled and rubbed her toes up Hector’s leg. Hector pressed his lips together and tried not to think about the contact.

“Uhg, please, it was still my idea,” Carmilla scoffed, ever ready to dismiss the human.

“Technically it was Dracula’s.” Hector commented boldly, “To build a loyal army of night creatures to take over Wallachia… Ah, sorry. I’m interrupting,” He leaned back to fall silent, sipping at his glass of white wine and quietly noting the faint smile that his words had brought to Lenore’s lips. 

Carmilla looked appalled and disgusted at the human, “Lenore, would you put a muzzle on that thing?”

Striga chuckled openly at the comment, “Well, he’s not wrong.”

“Uhg,” Carmilla recoiled uncomfortably, “This room stinks of betrayal.”

“Now, now,” Lenore spoke up, ever the diplomat, “Dracula may have had the idea for a night creature army but we all know how dramatically he failed with it.  _ We  _ are making it work. Carmilla brought us the plan, Morana made it work logistically, Hector and I will continue to build the army and Striga will lead it across Wallachia and our new empire. We did this together. Every bit of it.”

Hector could only stare at Lenore in some semblance of wonder at how she appeased everyone’s egos and settled the bickering between the sisters to so easily direct them back on task.

Talk of the war, movement of troops and positioning trailed on. Hector found himself loosely listening as he noticed Carmilla, trying to goad him into another drinking contest. He decidedly ignored her this time, he had nothing to prove to the white witch and he wasn’t going to give her the chance to steal back his earlier victory either. 

Striga was pointing out their path on the map, showing what areas they had already begun to move into and where they could push next now that they had the forces to do so. Hector’s gaze drifted idly across it, his eyes narrowing in curiously on one town. Argesh, Isaac had made an argument for taking Argesh in the past. It hadn’t been a terrible idea but Braila at the time had been better, or had he only thought that because of Carmilla’s convincing words?

Where was Isaac now? Perished alongside Dracula no doubt, the man had been a far more reliable asset to the mighty vampire and Isaac had always seen vampires for what they were. He had understood that they were more than cats or dogs, they were their own superior species. 

“Gresit is still in shambles,” Striga was explaining, “We can take it in a night and then move further east.”   
  
Hector frowned at her words, eyes searching over the map in thought before he leaned back and looked away. Lenore had said to leave the warring to the rest of them, this part wasn’t his concern besides, they’d probably already considered what he was thinking. 

Carmilla smirked at Hector’s body language, apparently picking this up as an opportunity to embarrass him, “I think the little Forgemaster disagrees with you Striga.”

Hector just shook his head, raising a hand to decline her prodding curiosity. He knew better than to rise to Carmilla’s mocking. “It’s not my place to say.”

Striga rolled her eyes and moved to continue but now it seemed like Lenore was interested, “What is it Hector? Go ahead,” The red-haired vampire encouraged and now Hector knew he couldn’t say no.

Hector could feel four sets of vampire eyes turn to him, apparently now he got to talk with the ‘real people’. Great. Better to get it over with and let the mocking commence. He stood with a reluctant sigh and pointed to a spot on the map, “I was thinking about Argesh. It could become a perfect, contained livestock pen to supply you with all you need to capture the rest of Wallachia.”

Carmilla laughed immediately, “Argesh? Really? Attacking there will just scatter the humans and create chaos. We turned this idea down in  _ Dracula’s _ court,” as if that was an insult in itself.

“Yes,” Hector agreed, “We turned it down in favour to attack Braila. But I wasn’t talking about a flat out attack. I’m saying to put it under siege.”

“And why would we siege an old, useless town like Argesh?” Striga drawled, clearly on the same page at Carmilla.

Hector’s brow furrowed, did they really not understand? “True, the city is old and generally in disrepair but the people who live there have done so for generations and the fact that it wasn’t touched by Dracula’s horde gives it the illusion of safety. In reality, their defences are laughable. They aren’t even governed by any real religious or political leader, it’s all the old families that pull the strings there. If you cut them off from the surrounding area they won’t survive a siege for more than five days, a week tops.”

“And what divine insight makes you think that?” Carmilla mocked, “Have you been hiding a crystal ball up your ass this whole time?”

Hector’s agitation was growing and he knew he was bad at hiding it, especially with the way Carmilla’s smile was growing. Still, he grit his teeth and continued, “They’ll already be hurting for supplies, especially with the current season; no city has stores for the amount of people already taking refuge there. A siege will mean that you control the food and water going in and when people turn on each other with already minimal supplies, they’ll happily begin sacrificing one another to you for something to eat. You’ll have your first sustainable income of blood and bodies from Wallachia.”

“That is assuming that the humans  _ do _ turn on each other,” Morana frowned but her eyes were on the map with a sense of interest.

“They will,” Hector replied with clear confidence, his blue eyes filling with darkness, like a storm brewing over a tense sea, “They’re human, it’s what they do. The moment that life becomes inconvenient they will sell you their own children to keep their bellies full. The poor will turn on the rich and the rich will negotiate with you for their safety. They will govern  _ themselves _ into providing you what you desire and will require minimum oversight after that.”

Striga stared at the map, “... That’s… Huh...”

“Not a  _ terrible _ idea,” Morana eventually agreed.

Hector sat back down, “Thank you.” 

“If it even works,” Carmilla argued, “If it fails then we’ll have all our troops hanging around a useless bit of land.”

“Argesh isn’t useless,” Hector argued, “It’s a central point in Wallachia to work from.”

“What’s the matter Forgemaster?” Carmilla mocked, “Does talking about Argesh make you feel nostalgic for Dracula’s court? Do you miss Isaac that much?”

Hector was reaching the end of his rope with Carmilla, “For someone who hates posturing old men so much, you certainly behave like one.” The mortal dared in agitation as he crossed his arms, “Don’t ask for my opinion if you have no intention to consider it.”

“Insolent little pup,” Carmilla growled, “I ought to string you up by your intestines for that.”

“And if it were up to me I’d have you imprisoned in an alcove facing the west.” Hector snapped back at the white witch, he’d had enough from her, “That way you could watch the light of sun, rise and crest throughout the entire day, the shadows of your safety growing smaller until the last sunset you’d ever see finally reached your cage and made you  _ burn _ . We can throw empty threats at each other all night Carmilla, or we can do something more productive.” 

Lenore raised a brow at that well-contemplated threat from Hector but made no move to stop him this time. Striga covered the smile of amusement from her lips and Morana took a long sip of wine.

Carmilla stared at the sheer balls of this fucking mortal, “Like  _ what _ exactly?” 

Hector could tell that Carmilla was inches away from tearing out his throat, Lenore was rather silent but watching him intently from the side and the other two seemed merely curious to see where he was going with this. He had a moment, best to use it wisely, “If I’m right about Argesh, I want you to apologize to me.”

“Excuse you?” Carmilla barked out a laugh, “You want to  _ wager _ with me, pup?”

Striga had been trying to hold back her laughter, a hand over her mouth but clearly they had reached a point where it was now bubbling over. “What’s the matter Carmilla? If you think he is so wrong then you have nothing to lose.”

Carmilla scoffed at the larger vampire, “You actually want to direct our armies for a fucking bet?”

“No,” Striga admitted, “But Argesh  _ could _ work in our favour and if the siege fails to make the humans comply then we can still take the city by force. I think it’s worth a try.”

Carmilla leaned back in her seat, arms crossed as she eyed Hector, “... And when you’re wrong? What do I gain from this inane gamble?”

Hector shrugged and offered, “If you win, I’ll make you a night creature stead and you’ll never have to walk another mile across Styria or Wallachia or anywhere again.” 

Carmilla’s fingers drummed thoughtfully along the table and then that devil’s smile touched her red lips, “Or…  _ When _ I win, you will drop that torch you’re clearly still holding for Dracula, denounce him for the crazed man-child he was and start showing me the respect that I, as your new Queen, deserve.”

Hector’s blue eyes narrowed on the white witch. He could practically feel Lenore bristling at the sheer audacity of Carmilla’s suggestion which meant that he didn’t have time to think about it before she put an end to this. “Deal,” Hector agreed quickly.

“I don’t think so,” Lenore interjected with an irked look at her pet, “He’s not agreeing to anything Carmilla.”

“It sounds like he is,” Striga grinned in amusement at these events. 

“Seems like a harmless wager to me, Lenore,” Morana mused, a smile on her lips as well.

Lenore huffed at her sisters for encouraging this behaviour and continued to glower at Carmilla. “I told you to stop antagonizing him!” 

“He’s antagonizing me,” Carmilla defended and drew her goblet to her lips with a smirk, taking a good drink, “It’s settled then. Five nights siege at Argesh and if the humans aren’t throwing each other at us, you’ll be kissing my boots.”

Hector glared back at her, “Five full nights of siege and if the leaders don’t agree to  _ reasonable _ terms of providing bodies for your war, then I’ll gladly do so. But if they do,  _ you _ apologize for everything you’ve done to me since we fucking met.”

“I think we’re done here for tonight,” Lenore rose to leave, a very displeased look on her face that Hector was sure meant trouble later. It would be worth it, though, if he won.

Carmilla laughed, “Don’t get too caught up making your apology list, pup.” She chided as Lenore walked out and Hector scrambled to follow her. 

**-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-**

“Lenore,” Hector scrambled to keep up with the vampire’s quick pace down the castle hall, “Lenore?”

Like lightning Lenore was rounding on Hector, slamming him up against the wall with red rage glowing in her eyes, “What the  _ fuck _ was that, Hector?” She demanded, “You utterly embarrassed me back there.”

Hector winced at the impact but didn’t struggle although her grip did make it difficult to respond, “It-it wasn’t my intention to do so.” Fuck, she was mad. Of course, she was mad. And after so many good days of keeping her happy. Stupid Carmilla.

“Not your intention?” Lenore glared, red glowing brighter, “The fuck was your  _ intention _ then?”

“T-to… Ah…” Hector gasped for air, Lenore’s grip pinching the blood flow to his brain long enough to make his head spin and he certainly couldn’t talk. 

Finally she dropped him and Hector careened to the floor, remaining on his knees before her as he caught his breath, “C-Carmilla’s done nothing but worm her way under my skin since we met,” he explained softly, rubbing at his neck, “I just want it to stop.”

“Pissing her off isn’t going to make that stop, Hector!” Lenore snapped down at him, ever furious, “She’s the Queen of fucking Styria.”

“And I’m just a pet human, I know,” Hector’s eyes were on the floor, he must have looked truly pathetic saying that because Lenore had stepped forward to run her fingers through his silver locks. Hector found himself relaxing at the gentle touch, leaning into it.

“ _ My _ pet human,” Lenore stated with force, her fingers curling in his hair.

Hector tried not to wince, his stomach churning so much that he was sure his drink from earlier had gone sour in his belly, “Yes, yours.” 

Cold fingers pulled Hector’s chin up to meet her blazing red gaze, “Then start fucking acting like it.”

Hector stared up at those red eyes and knew he should be afraid. He should be terrified, she could literally rip him limb from limb without breaking a sweat but if that had been her intention then he’d be dead already. Every time he angered these vampires he was gambling his life, the bet with Carmilla was just more of the same. But he had faced Lenore’s anger before and came out unscathed… How had he done that? ~ _ Those big, sad, human eyes _ ~

“I’m sorry,” Hector told Lenore softly, holding her gaze and summoning the most pitiful look that he could bring to his eyes. It wasn’t hard, all he had to think about was the utter catastrophe that his life had become, “Please don’t be angry,” Hector swallowed nervously and waited for her reply, for Lenore to see right through him as she always did. 

Lenore’s gaze bore holes into his skull and then her touch softened and the red of her eyes subdued a little, “What am I going to do with you?” She sighed deeply, the disappointment heavy on her voice as she looked down the hall in contemplation.

“Lenore?” Hector sat back on his heels, waiting for her to direct her attention back to him before he spoke again, “I realize that I’ve made a mistake. I shouldn’t have provoked Carmilla like that, I’ve caused you grief and I’ll take whatever punishment you see fit for that… But please, don’t cancel the bet.” He toyed with his fingers, trying to choose his words carefully, “I might be entirely wrong about Argesh in which case, I will accept my loss without complaint. Bowing to Carmilla might even appease her enough to stop harassing me for a while… But it doesn’t make her stop mocking you.” His eyes had fallen to the stonework floor, shying away from holding her gaze. He had seen how Carmilla liked to verbally poke and prod at Lenore as well. “Queen or not, she deserves to be taken down a peg.”

When only silence fell the space between them, Hector dared to lift his gaze again, not entirely sure how well his words had landed and more than a little apprehensive about it. Lenore was thinking, he could see the clockwork of her brilliant mind weighing the possible outcomes until she gave a light sigh. “Carmilla  _ does _ tend to get rather full of herself…” His vampire master conceded, “Hm. Very well, you may keep your bet, as  _ stupid _ as it was to make. But Hector,” Her eyes turned sharply to him again, “No more of this foolishness. I won’t have it, is that clear?”

“Entirely,” Hector bowed his head to her respectfully, trying to subdue the rise of excitement in his chest.

Vampires were the superior species but they weren’t infallible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You didn't really think Hector and Carmilla's feud would be over after a little drinking contest did you?
> 
> I MUST hear your thoughts on who you think will win! I've been loving all your thoughts/reactions thus far and this chapter has me excited to hear more ^_^
> 
> Special Thanks to GamerGamii and NothingTea <3


	12. Privilege

Green plantlife, sun shining from above and  _ heat _ , so much wonderful heat that chased away the perpetual cold from Hector’s bones. It was a beautiful morning to be surrounded by nature with the sweet smell of flowers and the touch of dew-covered leaves. Hector closed his eyes and drank it all in, from the warmth of the sun on his face to the faint buzzing of bees in his ears. It brought a smile to his lips and softened the hard edges of his features as his entire body began to relax. 

It felt like the beginnings of a humid summer day and with his eyes closed it was almost too easy to pretend he was in a grassy field or forest. Of course the reality was that Hector stood in the castle greenhouse and if he opened his eyes again he would still see the inescapable snow that covered the surrounding area outside these glass walls. 

Hector had finished his forging for the night and decided to stay up for sunrise. It had been some time since he’d felt the sun on his face and by God did he miss it. There was a small bark at his right and he adjusted the book he was carrying to his other hand so that he could reach down and give Penny a fond pet on the head. Her tail wagged happily in response and she nuzzled into his touch. It would be several nights before they heard back from Striga and the results of his bet against Carmilla, he needed the distraction elsewise he might go crazy thinking about it.

Hector smiled at the night dog and continued further through the greenhouse, finding his way beneath an apple tree and shrugged the too-warm coat from his shoulders. He was actually sweating from the heat in here and had to disrobe until all he wore was his basic white shirt and dark pants. Hector looked at his boots and then pulled those off to, smiling as he felt the patch of earth and grass beneath his feet. Free from the lavish adornments he left the excess items and his borrowed book tucked safely at the base of the tree while he ventured through the rows of berry bushes. He took in the lay of the land in this little oasis, noting the general lack of sentient life and stealing the odd berry to nibble on as he went. 

The gardeners would probably hate him for avoiding the established stone paths but the fact that they actually had patches of short grass woven around the plants like a proper mini-field, it just begged to be walked on. He chucked a stick across for Penny that she chased through the bushes to find. Hector crouched down to examine some yellow flowers while he waited for her, he reached out to touch one but paused at the sound of a voice. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Hector looked over his shoulder, locating the source of the sound. It was an unfamiliar woman, clearly human since she stood on the path with the sunlight shining upon her dark hair. She wore a simple green dress with a brown apron over it. Hector eyed her for a moment, he hadn’t bothered trying to speak to others in the castle. Most of them shied away from him and anyway, people had never been his forte. 

“It’s  Iris Pseudacorus,” The woman explained to him with a kind smile, “Yellow Flag Iris? You’ll get a nasty, itchy rash if you touch it.”

Hector glanced at the plant and then took a step back from it, “Oh… Thank you.” He paused, “Why grow it here then? It seems odd to purposely grow such a thing in a greenhouse.” 

She chuckled at that, “It is not our place to question the desires of the mighty council,” She glanced around briefly, “But between you and me? I hear Lady Morana is fond of its use against troublesome interlopers.”

Hector raised a brow at that, eyeing this woman again, “... Is that so?” It did sound like something Morana would do.

“You should probably stick to the path, lest you be deemed such an interloper.” She chuckled teasingly although Hector had a feeling it wasn’t entirely a joke, “Either way, it’s a little dangerous if you don’t know the plants. You might walk into something nasty.”

Hector glanced back at the flower before walking over to join her on the path, a frown on his lips as his bare feet touched the cold stone, sending a shiver of unpleasant memories up his spine. He preferred the softer grass.

Penny came trotting back with an entirely different stick than the one that Hector had thrown her. Hector smiled at the dog, crouching down to greet her while the human woman startled back. 

“Is that a dog?!” Her voice had dropped to a whisper, eyes going wide. 

Hector shrugged, fondly scratching the lab’s ears, “Yes, this is Penny. She’s mine,” He glanced at the woman, “She won’t hurt you.”

The gardener looked around them a bit nervously but upon not seeing anyone she knelt next to Hector and carefully reached out to pet the dog. There was a look of wide wonder on her face, “She’s beautiful… Her eyes are  _ so blue _ .” The woman bit her lip, anxiously glancing over her shoulder a few times, “... She’s  _ yours _ ?” 

“Yes, of course,” Hector raised a brow at her peculiar behaviour, “Is something wrong?”

“Hm? … Well um… I’m sorry but, who are you exactly?” She asked, turning her green gaze back upon Hector with growing uncertainty. It was a look that Hector knew well in humans, one that meant she was questioning the level of danger she was in with him. 

Hector just sighed and turned his own blue eyes back on Penny, “My name is Hector. I’m…” he paused, not entirely sure how to introduce himself because he was no longer Dracula’s Forgemaster but he sure as fuck wasn’t going to call himself Lenore’s  _ pet _ . “... Lenore’s Forgemaster.” 

Hector kept his gaze on Penny but his peripheral vision could see the panic rising in this woman’s features. She went tense and rigidly pulled her fingers away from Penny’s fur as she rose to her feet. “L-Lady Lenore’s  _ Forgemaster _ ?” She repeated with a stammer. “O-oh! I’m so sorry, I thought-well you’re human-and you don’t look, well, so, um…”

Hector’s shoulders dropped a bit as he shook his head in disappointment. Even the humans  _ here  _ feared him and his creatures, you’d think that living with vampires would give them something of an alternate perspective on life. He sighed and lifted himself up to stand again, “I just came here to read a bit in the sun. I won’t be in your way.” 

“B-by all means, Lord Forgemaster,” She bowed to him, her fingers gripping onto the fabric of her apron nervously, “Please, stay as long as you’d like! And tell me if there’s anything you require!”

Hector looked back to her, a frown on his lips, “You… don’t have to do that”

She was still bowing but raised her head a little to look at him in confusion, “P-pardon me, my Lord?”

“You don’t have to bow and call me Lord anything,” Hector explained, turning to face her fully as he gestured to the air, “We’re both just humans serving the same vampire masters, are we not?” They were equally trapped within these walls, bound to serve the council’s whims. 

Green eyes stared at Hector, her lips parted to respond and then closed as words seemed to fail her. 

Hector’s brow creased at the sight, “Is something wrong?”

“No! No sir, everything is fine…” She swallowed and ducked her head again, looking much like she wanted to bow but was trying not to do so, “Um, may I be excused?”

Stepping towards her, Hector watched her go rigid again. Why was she reacting to him like he was a predator? “I’m not a vampire,” Hector offered the unneeded clarity but he couldn’t figure out what was scaring her exactly, “And I told you, Penny won’t harm you. Not unless you attack first.” He had dealt with people disliking him before, that didn’t bother him but something about this was different. 

She kept her eyes on the ground and nodded, “Yes sir. I understand sir.”

Hector stared down at her and then raised his hand slowly beneath her chin, guiding her eyes up to look at him again and watching as her tense body complied to his actions. “... It isn’t  _ me  _ that you’re afraid of, is it?”

She swallowed, her green eyes darting to the side as though still trying to avert her gaze, “Do… Do you  _ want  _ me to be afraid of you, sir?”

“What? No,” Hector startled at her reply, lowering his hand, “I don’t care about that.”

There was silence for a moment, she bit her lip and glanced around them again despite it clearly being just the two of them there. Finally she dared to look at Hector and whispered to him, “... You really don’t understand, do you?”

“Understand what?” Hector frowned, not liking the way this conversation was going. There was something unsettling about this, the way she was looking at him with such nervous uncertainty. Like he held some deadly power over her and she was trying to figure out how to appease him. Was this how he looked to Lenore? Powerlessly trying to maintain some position of dignity within servitude?

She took a moment to guide Hector down the path a bit, gaining the cover from a willow tree, “You are our blessed Lady Lenore’s Forgemaster, right?”

“Yes…” Hector admitted, his tone as displeased as the look on his face, “And you’re clearly her gardener. What’s your point?” Their situations weren’t so different.

“I’m a herbalist,” She explained, “And I serve at the grace of the council, as do we all, of course. But you’re  _ hers, specifically, _ ” She gave Hector a meaningful look. Hector just blinked at her cluelessly and the woman cursed softly. “Oh my God, I would kill for a position like that. How are you not getting this? You are basically a Lord here, second only to the ruling council themselves. You’re above the other  _ vampires _ , no human here has that. Lady Lenore all but decreed that anyone who  _ looks  _ at you wrong will be lynched immediately. You’re fucking untouchable.”

Hector stared at her, this woman’s words hitting him like a frying pan to the face. He was a  _ pet _ , how could that be a position of envy?

She watched him flounder to process her explanation like it was some grand revelation and she just ended up shaking her head, “You know what? Let’s just pretend this never happened? I’m going to get to work and you just do whatever you want to do.” She took a step back from him, “I hope that you have a wonderful day reading in the sunshine, Lord Forgemaster.”

“Uh…” Hector opened his mouth to respond but failed to find any words before she was gone to tend to the garden elsewhere. Dumbfounded, the Forgemaster turned to go back to the apple tree where he had left his things. 

He sat against the tree and tried to focus on his book but kept looking up and around at any sound or sign of movement in the garden. That woman, who was she even? He hadn’t gotten a name from her. That was probably for the best though, she was clearly insane. The only thing that made Hector any different from her was the fact that he could make night creatures and that was more useful to the vampires than tending to a garden. It didn’t make him a Lord or any better than the rest of his subjugated species. If he had learned anything from his failings in Dracula’s castle, it was that he really wasn’t too different from the others.

Hector was just as vile, just as prone to treachery and malfeasance as the rest of foul humanity. It was why he had taken this book from the library and scouted out a place in the sun where he could read it away from vampiric supervision. It was a tome on enchantment magic with a single chapter on crafting magical items. He had found it shelved in the wrong section of the library, among the history texts of all places. Hopefully it would tell him something about how this foul ring had been made and thus, how it could be  _ unmade _ . 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter felt strangely deep to write. 
> 
> This entire time Hector has seen himself as the bottom of the food chain in Styria but being surrounded by only his "superiors" can have that effect.   
> If all you do is compare yourself to people who are supposedly "better" than you, of course you won't feel like you can measure up. It also makes it hard to see the immense privileges you have over others less fortunate.
> 
> The key is not to compare yourself to anyone else. Mark your own personal progress and accept every individual improvement as a victory to spur yourself forward with.   
> And be better than Hector, acknowledge your privilege XD
> 
> ANYWHO, that's my two-cents and little bit of wisdom to put out there :P
> 
> What's really funny is that I started writing about the Greenhouse as a precursor to adding more smut (because a certain BakedTofu inspired me to keep the E-rating alive lmao). Don't worry, I got to it in the next chapter ^_^
> 
> Special Thanks to GamerGamii and NothingTea for being my Betas and Hype-man to convince me to post this fic.  
> Special Thanks to BakedTofu for the inspiration to write this chapter and the next <3


	13. Apple Tree

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff and Smut warning :P  
> I don't know why I'm warning you, let's be honest, this is what you're here for. This entire chapter is an indulgence that you can blame BakedTofu for. <3

The book was useless.

Hector wanted to throw it into the garden’s central fountain and then scream into the ether. He settled for tossing it back into the library and storming home with Penny chasing after him. The next night he spent playing nice with Lenore, well aware that he needed to be on his best behaviour until the results came in. She’d surely stop being sour once she realized he’d been right about Argesh.

God, he hoped he was right about Argesh. With every passing night the doubts edged into his thoughts; maybe his information was too outdated? What if the ruling families took too long to organize? He couldn’t even vent his anxieties to Lenore because it would just piss her off to bring up the bet that she’d been so against from the start. He needed her to be happy, to trust him, to underestimate his loyalty so that when he found a way out of this, she wouldn’t see it coming. Why was it so hard to be patient?

Hector ended up in the greenhouse again that morning, settling under the apple tree with a new book. The sun and warmth made for a wonderful change of pace and while this tome was merely a philosophical interest, it was all a good distraction from the thoughts of impending doom. 

“Hector? Hectooorr...”

The Forgemaster opened his eyes and then had to blink a few times as he realized that night had darkened the garden and he’d fallen asleep beneath the tree. With a yawn he sat up, pushing his book off safely to the side as he rubbed at his eyes, “Lenore?” 

“Did you sleep here?” Lenore was sitting in the grass next to him, a teasing smile on her flawless features. “I put all that effort into building your home and you choose to sleep out in the dirt instead? Rude.”

Hector chuckled, stretching out the ache in his limbs, “Trust me, I’m regretting it now. That bed is far more comfortable than grass.” He looked around the enchanting space. Even at night the greenhouse was a thing of beauty, the walkways were lit by the wonders of electricity and it cast a bewitching glow across the greenery. Gaze rising upwards, Hector leaned back into the grass, eyes automatically tracking across familiar constellations at the sight of a clear night sky. “But you can’t beat that view…” He whispered warmly.

Lenore raised a brow before glancing upwards as well, “... Are you a secret astronomer Hector?” She asked with a curious smile.

“An amateur at best,” Hector shrugged, “I can name a few constellations but mostly, I just like the sight of the open sky. Sunny days watching the clouds drift by or clear nights full of stars, it’s just… Nice to watch. I’ve moved around a lot in my life, the sky is the only thing that remains constant in all that chaos.”

Lenore inched over next to him and lay back to join him in the grass. “I like drawing my own constellations.” 

Hector glanced at her as Lenore positioned her head right next to his, “Is that so?”He asked, decidedly humouring her if that’s where she wanted to go with this, “And what are some of these special constellations then?” 

“Over there,” She pointed, leaning closer so she could properly show him which stars, “Those ones connect like that and I call it the medusa spider.” 

“Why does it only have seven legs?” Hector tilted his head, trying to figure out how she saw a spider.

“Some spiders survive just fine with seven legs,” Lenore pouted at that and Hector got the feeling that he was missing some crucial information so he dropped it. 

“... What’s another one then?” The man prompted, since she seemed to enjoy telling him about this. 

“Ummm, you see that one there?” Lenore pointed another one out.

Hector followed her finger, “You mean Orion?”

“No, to the left, those ones,” The vampire insisted.

“Oh, okay. What’s that one called?” The Forgemaster played along.

“Hector,” Lenore grinned.

“Yes?” He looked at her confused.

“No! Not you, the stars!” The vampire giggled, “I named them Hector.”

“Should I be flattered?” He asked with a bemused smile, turning to her again, “I think I should be flattered.”

“You  _ definitely  _ should be,” Lenore agreed with a grin and met his gaze, “I’ve immortalized you in the night sky forever.”

“Well in that case, thank you,” Hector chuckled and sat up, “I should probably get to the forge now though.”

Lenore sat up with him and drew her fingers along his arm, gently holding onto his wrist to urge him to stay, “I think we’ve got a  _ little  _ time.” 

Hector’s gaze drifted from her face, down to her touch and back up to her eyes. Reminding himself that he had to be on his best behaviour. He needed her to be happy. “... A little time, certainly.” Hector agreed, well aware of what she was after and not  _ entirely  _ opposed to it.

Lenore touched her lips to his, her hand straying to the waist of his pants as she drank in his kiss. Hector leaned into it, kissing her back and letting out a warm noise as she slipped her tongue into his mouth.

Lenore swung her leg over Hector, straddling the man as they kissed but after a moment Hector gave pause, “Wait- _ here _ ?” He asked, pulling back slightly and glancing around the greenhouse, were there still gardeners around? He didn’t see anyone immediately, “Shouldn’t we go back to…?”

Lenore just shrugged, a mischievous grin on her lips as she touched them to Hector’s again, “What’s the matter Hector? I thought you liked the view in here.” She took his hand, guiding it up to her breast.

“I do…” Hector agreed, taking a breath as he felt the rise between his legs when Lenore snaked her cool fingers beneath his shirt to caress his hips. “It’s just… very open,” He swallowed back his own insecurities and tried to focus on the task at hand. Keep Lenore happy. Hector sat up and held a hand to Lenore’s back, intent on taking over the top position so he could focus on satiating her desires. Lenore seemed to have other plans however.

The vampire held firm on top of Hector, pinning him down with an alluring smile as she leaned in to kiss along his neck. He could feel the faint touch of her fangs on his skin as she went along, so gentle and yet filled with such deadly potential. The trail of her lips as she moved down his body felt like electricity, drawing all his senses to attention and drowning them in her; her scent, her touch, the sound of a hum on her lips, the taste of her lingering on his tongue and now the sight of her, freeing his stiffened cock from his pants only to draw it skilfully into her mouth. 

Hector’s breath hitched in his throat and then released in a moan. He covered his mouth with his hand, trying to muffle the deep sound of desire in case anyone else was still around the garden. Lenore drew him deep within her mouth, her tongue pressing against all the delicious curves and ridges of his member. Soon Hector was disintegrating into a mess of deplorable vocals, singing out half strangled beneath his fingers. 

How did she keep surprising him? He was supposed to be pleasing  _ her  _ wasn’t he? Keeping  _ her  _ happy, not the other way around. Every time he thought he finally had things figured out, she went and took it to a whole new level. Not that he was complaining this time though because,  _ fuck _ .

Lenore pulled back, letting the stiff shaft fall from her lips and Hector whimpered in loss of the wet warmth of her tongue. She crawled back up his body and pecked a faint kiss to his lips, “Oh Hector, you look positively ravished.” She teased, keeping her hips just above his, even as he tried to press up into her.

“Lenore,” The poor man begged her name, seeking more of her sweet touch. His skin having become beautifully flushed, blue eyes clouded with desire. His hands found their way to her hips, clinging with a greater need.

“Looks like we’re out of time, oh dear,” Lenore purred in his ear.

Hector gasped a ragged breath, “W-what?” His voice cracked as it raised in the question, his brain just didn’t have all the blood flow it needed to process her words. 

“You’ve got a lot of work to do tonight,” Lenore teased, nibbling on his ear before beginning to pull away but Hector grabbed her desperately.

“W-wait” Hector whimpered, clinging to her, “P-please. I’ll get it all done. I will, just- _ please _ Lenore” he begged again.

Lenore settled over him comfortably, “Hmm… I want more than that,” She whispered to him tenaciously. 

Hector had to take a few breaths to clear some of the cobwebs from his one-track mind, trying to understand what she was saying. Lenore rolled her hips, grinding into him and Hector gasped, his head falling back, “Fuck, yes, anything,” He agreed easily. Some part of his brain was screaming for caution, begging him not to fall into any more traps. Hector ignored it, everything he had was hers at this point anyway, so promising her  _ anything  _ just felt like he was getting away with something.

Lenore brought her lips to suck lightly on his neck, blossoming sweet bruises across his fair skin that had Hector whimpering desperately for her again. All she had to do at this point was ask and he’d give it to her just to keep her copacetic. A content Lenore made for a not-miserable Hector after all.

Her lips touched his ear, soft breath playing across the surface of his skin, her voice felt like a spark of lightning that crackled through his brain and left his body tingling with the aftereffects, “Impress me.”

His frantic grip on Lenore tightened and a breath shuddered from his lips at the sound. It took an extra precious moment to process  _ what  _ exactly she had said over  _ how  _ she’d said it. Impress her? What did that even mean? What did she want? He gazed up at her, those beautiful red locks and deep alluring eyes always brought a strange mix of emotions in his stomach. Right now however, all that was drowned out by other desires.

Hector leaned forward and pulled the neckline of her dress down to kiss at her breast, drawing it out from the fabric and sucking her nipple between his lips. His other hand found its way to the small of her back and soon he was tipping her gently back into the grass. Impress her? Sure, fine, impress an immortal vampire who probably knows more about sex than he could live to learn. Easy.

Hector let out a warm breath across her skin as he stole himself to focus. His cock still throbbed with need but if he was going to do this he needed to think about her rather than himself. For now anyway, Lenore had never left him wanting before so surely there’d be time for that later. He kissed along her collarbone, forcing his movements to remain slow and methodical despite the overwhelming urge to just take her as is.

Hector made an entire procession of stripping them bare, peeling away layers of clothing until all the pair had for cover was the shade of the apple tree. The greenhouse still held such a delicious heat to it, although less at night, but it was more than enough to maintain the warmth in their bodies. 

Hector brought every inch of Lenore’s skin to his lips, bit by bit, drawing on her sense of touch. He continued until he saw a sweet flush of pink to gather to the surface of her flesh, finding that enchanting heat that was normally buried so deep within her vampiric biology.

He kissed up the inside of her thighs, eventually drawing his tongue along her entrance and moaning at the taste of her. He had to fight not to get carried away himself, paying closer attention to the details of Lenore’s breath and the mewling desires that rang from her sweet voice. Hector’s tongue plied her towards orgasm and Lenore, evidently, held no qualms about crying out as her muscles tensed with pleasure around it. 

Hector extracted every ounce of pleasure from her that he could manage. Mapping the rise and fall of her orgasms until he had a deeper sense of her. He wasn’t certain how much time they spent beneath that apple tree but he definitely didn’t stop until Lenore was in a daze of euphoria.

Smirking a little at the dreamy look on the vampire’s face, Hector breathed a content but fatigued sigh. He lay next to her, letting the woman curl up into him as he finally let his mind wander elsewhere. Fuck, he still had a whole night’s worth of work ahead of him and he had  _ promised  _ to finish it all. Perhaps he’d gotten a little carried away but well… She wanted to be impressed apparently.

Lenore nuzzled into Hector’s chest, using him as a pillow as her breath began to settle down again. Her fingers started to draw pictures across his skin and Hector hummed warmly at the delicate touch of her nails as they worked their way down his abdomen. Her breath glided across his neck and ear as she leaned in to whisper to him, “Good boy.” 

The words felt like a reward on their own now, leaving a gratifying buzz in his brain and a warmth in his chest. He ought to be more upset about the demeaning connotation but the affirmation that he had done something and done it  _ well  _ was just… So ratifying. And to have the statement punctuated with her fingers curling around his shaft, well, that was nice too.

Hector moaned with his desire rising once more. He’d been right, he could always trust Lenore to meet his needs, as long as he tended mindfully to hers. The vampire woman kissed little bruises across his chest as she worked the length of his cock by hand. “Lenore,” Hector spoke breathesslesly, drawing her name out like it was something to be savoured on his lips. 

The sound apparently caught her attention as Lenore climbed on top of Hector, straddling his hips comfortably and leaned down to bring her face close to his. “Yes, Hector?” She asked sweetly, sliding the wet lips of her vagina against his stiff cock. 

Hector gasped, a shudder of pleasure reverberating through his muscles at the delicate contact. “Lenore,” His head fell back and Lenore stole a kiss along his exposed throat, earning a desperate whimper from the human.

“Say it again,” Lenore whispered in his ear, grinding up against him rhythmically as Hector reached for her hips. 

Hector already felt like he could barely breathe, all of Lenore overwhelming his senses yet again and he had no reason to fight it. This was his reward, he’d been a good boy. “Len-ORE,” Hector cried out as she drew his cock into herself fully instead of just rubbing up against it. The sudden and intense feeling of her around him had Hector surging forward with a gasp. He buried his face into Lenore, clinging to her entirely as if she was his world, his only source of stability.

She rocked with him, working the full length of him in this seated position as he embraced her. He was shaking, ravenous with a yearning and desperate for every ounce of pleasure she gifted him. “Lenore,” Hector’s voice trembled yet again, barely able to get out the syllables now, “P-please,” She hadn’t given him permission yet and it was ruining him to try and hold back for so long but she’d been quite clear each time this had happened. Lenore was the one who got to decide when he could finish.

Lenore’s fingers drew warmly through his silver locks, cradling his head against her breast, “Sshhh,” The woman purred back to him and he whimpered in reply. His fingers trying to find purchase along her smooth skin, he couldn’t hold on any longer. Lenore leaned to his ear and whispered in that soft, electrifying voice, “Say it again.” 

“Lenore,” Hector gasped her name and then said it again as she finally gave him her approval. He repeated her name over and over with every ounce of well-earned release. Tense waves of pleasure echoed through the corners of his body until his vision blurred and the breath was stolen from his lips.

It left the man dizzy, his tense grip eventually loosening as he relaxed. Hector moaned in soft satisfaction as he let her continue to cradle him against her chest, trusting Lenore to hold him safely there. His breath came in ragged pants as he tried to find a steady rhythm to it again. 

Lenore hummed warmly, guiding him back to lay on the grass as she rested her head just under his chin. Hector closed his eyes, every inch of his body relaxed beneath her. That had definitely been worth it and now he found his mind wandering with thoughts on how else he could impress her. 

She wanted night creatures but he was already working towards making those every night. What if he made something more? Larger… Stronger… Things that Dracula’s army had never seen. Beasts that stood taller than houses. 

His gaze fell to the resting vampire, her bare form was stunning beneath the dim glow of the moon; pale skin of her cute pointy ears peaked out beneath red curls. Perhaps what was truly impressive was how someone so deadly could look so… Adorable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My beta: Aww, it's so cute if it wasn't so manipulative!
> 
> Special thanks to GamerGamii and NothingTea  
> AND BAKEDTOFU (Y'all should check out their one-shot if you're not deterred by dead-dove XD that shit's twisted. It's called "The most unsettling Snap") 
> 
> Also, on a serious note, the Doc thinks I have the carpal tunnel :( so I'm probably gonna have to slow down my writing. Fortunately I already have a lot done but once I figure out how to tackle this, I'll let you guys know if the schedule will change.
> 
> Anywho, stargazing <3 adorable right?
> 
> Drop me a comment on your thoughts! Hit Kudos if you're a fan! I love hearing from you guys!!!!


	14. Read 'Em and Weep

Creating a new breed of night creature was a welcome distraction and had the added bonus of pleasing Lenore. She marvelled over the beasts and delighted in the fact that Hector had made them for her. Her bright smile was almost heartwarming when he told her that she’d inspired the creations. Of course there was no need to say that was simply because he didn’t want her to be angrily thinking about the bet.

Not that Lenore seemed to think about it all. Perhaps it was just Hector’s anxious mind that woke up obsessing over the details, counting each passing night with growing apprehension. He couldn’t risk asking Lenore for updates or if she’d heard anything from Argesh yet. He couldn’t vent his worries about it to her, instead he had to force a smile and pretend all was well. There was no one else he could go to here either, something told him that Morana wouldn’t bother to waste her time with him and Carmilla… yeah, no.

That pretty much left him to talk it out with Penny. 

“If Braila was a month by foot, that’s about a week by horseback,” Hector mused to the dog, moving around his kitchen as he made himself something to eat, “But Argesh is closer than that, isn’t it? So if it’s say, two night’s ride from here, plus up to five days of siege and then the ride back… Fuck, shouldn’t she be back by now? I mean, unless she needs to spend an extra day or two establishing the new ruling order in town. If that’s the case then maybe tomorrow would still be okay? But what if it’s closer to a  _ three  _ night’s ride away? Then I’m fine… It’s gotta be fine.” He needed a map, he couldn’t remember all the details from the one he’d seen in the council room.

This was far too stressful, he couldn’t afford for Carmilla to win. The thought of bowing to that bitch made his stomach churn. So was all this worth the chance at an apology from her? Well, it was an apology  _ and  _ the utter shame that it would bring upon Carmilla for months, if not years, to come. He’d never let her live it down and he doubted the others would either. The sisters seemed to have a healthy habit of teasing one another relentlessly, Carmilla most of all. This would give the other three plenty of ammunition to bring the wicked witch down a peg, on a regular basis too.

Penny watched her human master pace in the kitchen, the man all but ignoring the meager meal he had haphazardly made. Her sharp ears cocked to the side and her tail wagged as she barked at the door before there was a knock on the wood. 

“Hector,” Lenore’s sweet voice called, “It’s time.”

_ Finally _ . Hector jogged over to the door as he commanded Penny to stay. Apparently one pet being allowed into the sacred council room was more than enough for the others to stomach. He eagerly pursued Lenore up the stairs to the vampire’s council room, having to hold himself back to let her lead the way up the familiar path. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Carmilla’s stupid face, the timing was close but his plan  _ must  _ have worked. He knew humanity and it’s predictable treachery but more importantly, he desperately  _ wanted  _ to see Carmilla taken down a notch. He couldn’t afford to fail. 

Carmilla would no doubt try to reason her way out of the bet but they’d had witnesses and Hector could see how the sisters enjoyed poking fun at one another. Forcing Carmilla to apologize - even insincerely - would no doubt entertain more than just him. To them it would be a harmless and meaningless stream of words, humiliating the white witch for a moment.

To Hector, it was a long-awaited victory over the bitch. It was something he craved in his soul, the satisfaction of finally getting one over on that red-lipped, smug-faced, treacherous cuntzilla and her shit-eating grin. He’d had a taste of it when he took on her drinking challenge and he wanted more.

Hector served Lenore her blood-wine and waited as patiently as he could manage for the others to appear and take their seats. Idle chit-chat fluttered between the vampires while the human kept his obedient mouth shut. His fingers drummed the table as quietly as he could, simply dying to demand an answer. Hector’s gaze kept straying towards Striga, hopeful and eagerly searching the larger woman for any indication about the information he sought. Striga seemed to be pretending that he didn’t exist which was normal for her but tonight it was infuriating. 

Normally he could just let his mind wander and ignore them all right back but now he was listening to every minutia of conversation, just waiting for it to turn to something fucking important. 

“So, how did things go in Argesh?” Carmilla inquired finally, apparently she was curious as well. Hector smiled ever so slightly, knowing she was about to regret it. 

“Pretty well,” Striga admitted and Hector watched Carmilla’s expression go slightly sour but patiently waited for more details. “Sieges get boring after a while, I’m glad we didn’t have to keep it for long.”

“So the humans gave in?” Morana asked curiously, evidently also intrigued by the bet, or just wanting to know how their advances were going, she was harder to read.

“No way,” Carmilla scoffed and shook her head, Hector could see the nervous anger in her features as she spoke, “You had to storm the place, didn’t you?”

A smile touched Striga’s lips and she let out a chuckle, “Well...” Hector leaned forward, inches from cursing this woman out for her dramatic pause, “The human was right. They folded in on each other like a castle of cards in the wind. It was the easiest siege I have ever held and now we have the city and it’s livestock claimed.”

“No fucking way,” Carmilla cursed, “You’re lying. Striga, tell me you had to run in and kill them all!” She practically pleaded with the vampire. Hector wasn’t even trying to hold back his grin, watching the white bitch scramble for a way out but this time she was caught in  _ his _ trap, not the other way around. This was exactly why Dracula had entrusted the night armies to him and Isaac, vampires just didn’t understand the human disposition.

“Sorry Carmilla,” Striga just shrugged, gesturing candidly and apparently enjoying this as well. “It is just as the Forgemaster said. The humans turned on each other for our benefit and came crawling out to accept our terms.”

Hector leaned back smugly as he turned his victorious glare to Carmilla expectantly, biting his tongue to avoid speaking out of turn but it took every ounce of his will power to hold that back. He had to let the sisters pressure the vampire into holding up her end of the bargain but they would. Lenore at least seemed well versed with reading his desires and bringing voice to his thoughts in these meetings, he just had to wait. Wait and enjoy the look on Carmilla’s face.

Lenore hummed thoughtfully into her glass as she took a sip before speaking casually, “What night was it, Striga?” It took a moment for Hector to register her words and he looked to the redhead in confusion. “How many nights did it take for them to give in?”

Hector’s gaze shot back towards Striga, watching the larger vampire’s lips grow into a larger grin, her pointed teeth making an appearance and Hector held his breath.

“They came to me at dusk,” Striga explained, her tone ever casual but her eyes finally resting on Hector and acknowledging his presence for the first time that night. “On the sixth night of the siege.” 

Hector’s jaw went slack, lips gaping open as a ton of bricks seemed to land in his stomach all at once. He tried to swallow it back but his mouth had gone dry, God, he was going to be sick. One night, he had been wrong by one  _ fucking _ night! 

Carmilla’s laughter resounded around the room, her rage turning to delight while Hector’s moment of elation fell sour. “Oh Striga,” Carmilla giggled with glee, “You’re such a tease, you really had me going there.” 

“You should have seen the look on your face,” Striga laughed heartily with her.

Morana chuckled as well, “Well played darling.”

Lenore just sighed, seemingly unperturbed by the turn of events, she gave Hector a sidelong glance, “Well? Go on, be a good boy like you promised.”

Fuck. Hector ground his teeth in tense agitation. Fuckfuckfuck. He pushed off the table to get to his feet, unrequited rage bubbling beneath his skin as he bit his tongue until it ached and gave him something else to focus on. Something other than the sheer calamity he had made of the situation. Perhaps that was the most infuriating part; the fact that he had done all this to himself?

“Oooo puppy’s upset,” Carmilla was practically purring with delight. He could see her drinking in his frustrations like a fine wine and that only made his fury for her rise that much more. But that was her right, she had won and he would have likely been just as insufferable to her were the tables turned. God, that lucky, fucking bitch had won again, on a fucking technicality. 

Stiff movements forced Hector’s feet to move until he was standing before Carmilla. The woman turned her chair to face him properly as she crossed her legs and waited with a smug grin on her face that she didn’t deserve. Hector stole a glance towards Lenore but any hope of her helping him now was long gone, she wasn’t even looking at him. He had made his bed, time to lay in it.

Hector closed his eyes, trying to force down the loathing that bore into his soul, “I hereby denounce Dracula,” He declared as promised but it felt like sandpaper on his tongue, “For the… posturing man-child he was,” Fuck Carmilla and her foul fucking words in his mouth. Dracula had been great once, even if the master vampire had lost something of himself in the end. He had always been exceptional.

Hector’s fists were clenched so tightly that they were shaking with animosity at his sides, knuckles white. Hector rigidly lowered himself down to one knee and bowed to her, giving Carmilla the mother fucking, so-called respect that she thought she deserved. “And I accept you, Carmilla, Queen of Styria, as…” He had to pause to swallow back another bout of rage. Fuck her, fuck her so hard, “My Queen. Long may you reign.” 

Carmilla’s deadly grin couldn’t have been more elated, it made Hector feel ill so he lowered his gaze, only to be met with the sight of her red-heeled foot dancing in his face. “Go on then pup,” Carmilla purred warmly, “Show your Queen just how much you  _ adore _ her.”

God, what he wouldn’t give to lung at this woman and plunge a stake slowly into her black heart. He would watch her choke on her own blood, let it gurgle up her throat and stain her lips red for the last time. To observe the light fading from her callous gaze and dance in the dust of her corpse as the wind swept it away. These were the only thoughts that brought Hector enough peace to lean forward and barely touch his lips to the toe of her boot before he turned his face away.

Carmilla just laughed, reaching down to wrap her long, cold fingers around his neck and dragged Hector up with ease to leer her face into his. Hector tried to recoil at that, a pained gasp forced from his lips at her grasp. He strained to glance at Lenore again, wondering how far she was going to let this get. She didn’t look interested at all and then it hit him; this was a glimpse of what life would be like without Lenore’s protection. With no one to hold Carmilla back, how could he have forgotten the extent of Carmilla’s cruelty after the long trek to get here. “Wow Lenore, you really have got him trained well, haven’t you?” The white witch cackled in delight as he tried to hold still in her grip to avoid her having reason to tighten it.

“Did you really think I would bring some uncivilized thing to our table?” Lenore scoffed at her tone and Hector bit his tongue again, until he tasted blood this time. He had sworn to himself that he wouldn’t end up back here, helpless at Carmilla’s fingertips. Her grip was as cold as the metal collar that she had dragged him here by. He could practically feel the hard earth beneath his bare and aching feet again, forced to march for miles in the dark. His mind flooded with every horrifying memory of the journey here and he knew there was no escape from her. Carmilla was always going to win. It made him want to run and hide behind Lenore for a semblance of safety. Better the devil you know, right? 

When was this nightmare going to end?

“Your little wager has been satisfied, Carmilla. Can we get back on track now?” Lenore clearly wasn’t enjoying this half as much as Carmilla and was growing impatient. 

Carmilla licked her lips before tossing Hector back and turning away from him, satisfied for now by his subservience. Hector crashed into the ground, feeling any affinity for hope plummet with him as he fell into the pit of despair that cracked open with the impact.

He was getting good at picking himself up from the floor but not from the gloom that dragged his heart into his boots. He wanted to ask to be excused, to run back home and curl up with Penelope but the conversation had moved on already and there wouldn’t be any tolerance for further disruptions at this point. 

Slumping back into his chair by Lenore, Hector rubbed at his neck, wanting to erase the feeling of Carmilla’s touch but it lingered there, this cold dead grasp that threatened to shatter his soul. He swallowed and cringed at the phantom feeling of restraint around his throat. He could sense Carmilla’s gaze straying to him, no doubt basking in the sight of him struggling to hold himself together.

Eyes landing on his glass of white wine, Hector made to reach for the alcohol but Lenore slipped it away from his grasp without even looking. She never spoke but he could practically hear her scolding tone, telling him that wine was for good boys or some shit to that effect. She probably didn’t want him getting drunk again which… fair, but he’d give his right arm to do so at the moment.

Hector took a deep, quiet breath, his fingers finding the faint scar that rested on his wrist, beneath his sleeve. It was just the one, that was all it had taken. A shallow reminder from the road that said; ring or not, there was no escaping Carmilla. Lenore had protected him from the bulk of Carmilla’s cruelties, spoiled him into thinking he could get some semblance of revenge without consequence. The beautiful vampire could only do so much to save him from himself though. 

Wrapping his arms around himself, Hector leaned back and closed his eyes, trying to just shut it all out. He didn’t want to see Carmilla’s smug grin staring at him across the table anymore. 

**-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-**

“Well, I’m going to turn in for the day,” Morana yawned as she finally rose to leave, “Coming darling?”

“I’ll be there in a minute,” Striga replied, waving after her.

Carmilla leaned forward on the table, eyeing Hector with amusement, the man’s eyes still closed, his chin resting on his chest and steadily breathing, “Aww, did we bore the puppy to sleep? Think he’s dreaming of his new Queen?” She giggled.

“Doubt it,” Striga commented with a chuckle as she rolled up the map they’d been using, “He’s not screaming.”

“I can fix that,” Carmilla smirked wickedly, her eyes lighting up with a few ideas.

“Would you leave him alone already?” Lenore sighed, shaking her head at the woman, “You won your inane little bet, he won’t challenge you again after that.”

“That’s almost a shame,” Carmilla mused as she leaned back, “I rather enjoyed watching the mutt grovel at my feet.”

“Carmilla,” Lenore spoke firmly, her tone dripping with layers of poison, “Touch him again and I will break your top three favourite fuck-buddies in half. Hector’s mine.” Her eyes flashed a dangerous red, “Consider this your one and  _ only  _ chance to have borrowed him.”

Carmilla rolled her eyes and rose to leave, “Fine, fine, whatever. He’s all yours, I get it. No need to get nasty. Good morning ladies,” she yawned and waved to the pair of them on her way out.

Lenore let out a sigh and relaxed as Carmilla left, her gaze turning to observe the sleeping Hector with a softer touch, listening to his sleeping heartbeat with her sharp ears. “... Thank you Striga.”

Striga shrugged, having gathered the maps she looked to Lenore, “You were right to be concerned. She wouldn’t have reacted well to losing.”

“How long did it actually take?” Lenore asked curiously.

“Four nights,” Striga chuckled lightly, “He was right, they were already half-starved before we showed up.” She paused on her way out the door and looked back to Lenore, “It was  _ Carmilla  _ that you were worried about acting up, wasn’t it?”

“Both really,” Lenore admitted, gesturing towards the sleeping Hector with a sigh, “He wouldn’t have stopped challenging her if he won. She would have found a way to get back at him. It would have gotten too messy.”

“You were worried about him challenging her?” Striga smirked in amusement.

“If he thinks he can challenge her then it’s only a matter of time before he thinks he can challenge the rest of us.” Lenore looked at Striga with a pout, “And if that gets out of control… well it would be such a waste. I’d prefer to keep him as he is, he’s really begun to find his place here.” Lenore adored her pet but at the end of the day, her sisters came first, “He just needed to be taken down a peg.”

Striga just shrugged at that and headed out as Lenore reached up to draw her fingers through Hector’s hair affectionately. “Up boy,” she purred softly in his ear until the man startled awake, bright blue eyes flitting around the room in confusion before focusing on Lenore. “Time to go home,” she smiled prettily at him, drinking in the sight of those lovely blue orbs that always seemed to seek her out.

“Oh… right.” Hector rubbed his eyes wearily, gathering himself, “Sorry, did I fall asleep?”

“You did,” she confirmed as she stood and offered him her hand to take, “But you were quiet, so it’s alright.” 

Hector nodded a little, taking her hand to follow her in quiet faithfulness. The walk back to his tower was an easy silence between them that he only broke when they approached his front door, “Lenore?” 

“Yes, Hector?” Lenore looked back at him curiously, watching as he stared solemnly at the ground. The poor boy looked so beautifully broken.

“You were right, I shouldn’t have challenged Carmilla like that,” Hector admitted begrudgingly, “Please, don’t let me do that again, I…” He swallowed back an anxious lump in his throat, “I don’t want to belong to her.”

Lenore let out a small laugh at that, “Oh Hector, that would never happen.” She smiled back at him, noting the relief in his eyes as he gave her hand a grateful squeeze. She squeezed it back reassuringly. Silly boy, he belonged to her and her alone. 

And if she couldn’t have him? No one would.

“Lenore?” Hector asked again, his shoulders looked heavy like he was struggling with finding the right words to continue. 

“Yes, Hector?” Lenore was already smiling, reading his body language like an open book, ready to say yes to the question she saw forming on his lips. A question she had been slowly building into him over time, having him associate her with all the warm comforts of his life. Making him depend on her, need her and find solace in her.

“Will you stay with me today?” Hector requested, his voice so tired and small, like he was afraid to ask, afraid to hear her say no or to be judged harshly for wanting just a little peace and happiness.

“I’d love to, Hector,” Lenore replied easily, giving his hand another reassuring squeeze to make him feel wanted, accepted for all his insecurities. Loved.

It worked, the weight lifted from his shoulders a little and he offered her a meager but grateful smile before he followed her inside and up to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TADA! *takes a bow* There you have it, finally the results of the bet! Thoughts? Were you happy? Or disappointed? Surprised?  
> There's a lot in this chapter, I'm curious to see what you guys picked up on here ^_^ I have a tendency to be very subtle with some things so I hope it's all coming across nicely.
> 
> Also, FUCK LENORE YOU MANIPULATIVE BITCH. Gotta love her though lmao 
> 
> You may have noticed there's only one more chapter in this work. Do not fret, it is merely book 1. The next work in this series is already partially written and I will be connecting them. There is more of Hector's story to come.
> 
> Special thanks to GamerGamii and NothingTea 
> 
> Comment and Kudos if you're a fan ^_^ I LOVE hearing from you!


	15. Something Wicked This Way Comes

A trail of clothing led up the stairs and across the bedroom. Wrapped up in a passionate kiss, Hector felt Lenore’s guiding touches pushing him back towards the bed. The man held firm, however, denying her direction and feeling the tension that rose in Lenore’s body at the refusal. 

Before Lenore could push the issue, Hector grabbed her by the thighs and lifted the vampire up to have her wrap her legs around his waist. Lenore relaxed a little at that and obliged, letting him continue to take the lead from there.

Hector slammed her up against the wall and listened to her gasp in delight as he handled her more roughly than before. His hard cock already pressing forcefully between her legs.

Previously he had all but worshipped the desires of her body but not now. Now Hector sought something more than pleasure, there was an anger burning in his soul with no viable outlet. Even in the harsh frigidity of Styria, it was a stifling heat that demanded release. 

Bowing to Carmilla had made Hector feel vulnerable, helpless within her clutches. It lit a fury in his heart that made him want to break something but he wasn’t  _ allowed _ to break. Lenore surely wouldn’t let him, she seemed to have a very specific ideal for Hector to meet but living up to that was suffocating him.

Without warning, Hector pulled her away from the wall and threw Lenore onto the bed, careful with every movement so as to not harm her lest this take a painful turn on himself. Oh, but he  _ wanted  _ to hurt her; to drag his nails across her skin and leave red lines behind, to bruise that pale skin so deeply that she’d feel it for days, to tear into her and drink in her pain.

Grabbing at her, Hector pushed Lenore over onto her knees and crawled on top of her. He wrenched the case off of a pillow and used the fabric to wrap around her wrists, binding them to hold above her head with greater ease as he pressed himself between her legs again.

Hector couldn’t help but be grateful for her cooperation, knowing she could flip this around and dominate him at any moment. She could easily rip the fabric apart and subdue him with her superior strength, but Lenore did no such thing. She seemed to understand that he hungered for this, the  _ illusion _ of control, he was starving for it. She had always known he’d needed that, letting him believe he had choices when the only options she’d ever given him were ones that aligned with her desires.

By the sound of her pleased moans, this was no different. She wanted this too.

Hector closed his eyes and let himself believe the lie; convincing himself that her gasps of delight were whimpers of pain, that the rocking of her hips into him was some struggle against his hold, that somehow he had her just where he wanted her. It was a delicious lie.

“Take my hand,” Lenore whispered over her shoulder to him, startling Hector out of his illusion for a moment. He lifted his gaze to where she held her open palm for him to take and he frowned a bit, not particularly wanting to return to his indentured existence. “ _ Please _ Hector,” Lenore’s voice begged with a subjugated whimper that helped ply back into Hector’s sweet fantasy.

Hector’s fingers entwined with Lenore’s, gripping firmly as he continued to thrust into her from behind, drawing his nails lightly along the arch of her back.

Lenore tilted her head to the side, exposing the graceful curve of her pale neck, “You don’t have to be so gentle,” She whispered alluringly, giving his hand a purposeful squeeze. Hector paused but she insisted, “Go on.”

Blue eyes flitted back towards their entangled fingers, the matching rings already pressing against one another as if Lenore was ready to cancel the painful magic before it could activate. Hector locked his gaze onto Lenore’s lidded eyes and she offered him a reassuring grin, tilting her head a little more. The smooth skin was just begging to be marked.

It was all the encouragement that Hector needed to continue his rough advances. His free hand grabbed a fistful of her gorgeous red hair and dragged her neck to his mouth, biting down on the sensitive flesh. A primal groan reverberated through Hector’s throat at the sound of Lenore’s whimper. He continued along her neck and shoulders, leaving indented teeth marks and harsh welts to rise and mar her previously flawless skin. 

He dug his nails into her flesh and gripped her hip with a bruising strength, forcing her body to move with the thrust of his own. He pressed deep into her with each motion, stretching her legs wide so that he could fill her more and rip those pleasant cries from her shuddering voice. 

Hector lost himself in the act, driven by a fire burning within and some base primordial need. By the time he was coming into her, Hector had marked every inch of alabaster skin within reach. Sweat glistened across both their bare forms, heat emanating from Hector’s body as though all that pent up rage had finally burned it’s way to the surface.

He rolled off of Lenore and onto his back, chest heaving to catch his breath and only then registering the dull ache in his hand. The flood of endorphins and intense emotions that had finally been worked through his system were no longer clouding his senses to the pain as he cradled his throbbing arm to his chest.

Lenore let out a rather satisfied moan as she curled up next to him, easily untangling her wrists from the fabric. “Mmnn… Good boy,” She purred, “Feel better?”

“Uhn nmm,” Hector attempted to form a reply and utterly failed to form words. He groaned and held onto his aching arm, trying to flex sore fingers that tingled with pain, “Oww.” 

Lenore giggled and drew circles on his bare chest, “Oh don’t be such a baby.” She teased him fondly and leaned in to whisper alluringly in his ear, “Maybe next time I’ll bite you back.”

Hector felt the red rise in his cheeks and let out another strangled groan, not entirely sure how he felt about that question-or was it a promise? 

“Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle,” Lenore smiled at Hector’s silent but tense reply, she nibbled at his ear and was rewarded by a whimper from the man.

Fuck. Hector took in a sharp breath and closed his eyes. This whole night had sucked. He’d lost the bet, Carmilla would be even more insufferable now and apparently Lenore liked rough sex. Certainly that last one wasn’t the worst thing, he had really needed that after all, but it wasn’t necessarily something he wanted  _ all the time _ .

And his hand really hurt. Either Lenore had squeezed too hard or the effect of the ring hadn’t been fully negated, it was hard to tell really. But that was one interesting thing to learn from this; that she could cancel the magic before it took full control. He wasn’t too sure how helpful that would be but… good to know.

Just take the good with the bad.

**-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-**

The nights developed a pleasant rhythm to them; forging, spending time with Lenore, reading, fucking, playing with Penny, more forging, more fucking. Actually the greenhouse was a rather nice place to be for a few of those activities although he hadn’t seen that human woman again since. Regardless, this castle seemed to have a little bit of everything he needed within its walls, it didn’t even feel much like a prison most nights.

It was actually rather nice. Peaceful. Hector even found himself looking forward to his time with the red-haired vampire. So it was strange when one night she didn’t appear as usual. 

Hector worked away in his forge, the ringing of the hammer hitting metal was like a beautiful symphony to his ears; calling out to the lost souls of hell and granting them new life, a second chance. 

Taking a small break between bodies to clean some viscera off his hammer, Hector noticed the time and frowned. Lenore usually would have come to see him by now, always saying how she loved to watch him work. Apparently there was something beautiful about it and while Hector agreed, bringing the night creatures into being was exquisite, he had a feeling she was talking more about  _ him _ rather than them. 

Either way, she ought to be here by now.

He tried to convince himself that the absence didn’t bother him. Sure, Lenore was good company -when she wasn’t angry- but he had Penny here to talk to as well. Penny at least didn’t play mind games with him but… She also wasn’t a terribly good conversationalist, it left things rather one-sided. Not that that had ever bothered him before. No, he didn’t  _ miss  _ Lenore, he wasn’t lonely without her, that was just a ridiculous thought in passing.

“She probably just slept in,” Hector reasoned towards the dog, walking to the large window to look out at the courtyard below. He had a decent, if slightly obscured view of the front gate from here. It was both a mocking reminder that he’d never leave this place and also a rather nice view. At least, when it wasn’t swarming with soldiers the way it was now.

Hector squinted and stepped closer to the glass window, “What the hell is going on out there?” He wondered aloud, noting the three striking forms on top of the gate wall. There was no mistaking Striga’s outline in the centre, which meant the other two were likely her sisters. The fourth sister was on the ground, stepping up to approach the barred gate with a fleet of soldiers at her flank. The moonlight hit her hair just right, revealing a hint of red and confirming that it was Lenore.

Hector was racing out of the forge room before he could even think, Penny hot on his heels. Was she leaving? Lenore hadn’t mentioned going on a trip anytime soon but she hardly told him everything. Still, she would have said if she was heading out of the castle or leaving him alone for an extended period of time. She wouldn’t just abandon him in the care of her monstrous sisters. Right? Right?!

She’d promised that Carmilla couldn’t have him. So maybe someone else had come and they were all there to greet whatever vampire lord had approached their gates. It would have to be quite the monster to summon the entire council of sisters and that was concerning as well.

Hector raced through the halls, pushing passed guards and servants without a care. They hadn’t dared look at him, let alone touch him since Striga first summoned Hector to the forge. Whatever Lenore had done since then had set them all straight. 

Hector burst through the door and into the icy courtyard air, breathing heavily from the run so that the cold stung his throat and into his lungs. He pulled his coat closed and wrapped his arms around himself to cling to whatever meager warmth his body made and then pushed forward. Through the vampire soldiers and then the gathering of his own night creatures that parted more easily for him to pass until he could see what all this was about.

Morana, Striga and Carmilla were still perched on top of the wall with archers flanking alongside them as they all held their gaze below. Now that Hector could see through the barred gate, he understood what they were staring at. It was an army that had been brought to their castle walls but not just any army, it was a sea of night creatures with burning red eyes, the likes of which Hector recognized immediately.

“Isaac,” Hector breathed the name as the cold winter air turned it into a visible puff from his lips. Hector felt something rising in his chest as Lenore stepped to the side, revealing the familiar man’s form on the far side of the gate. Isaac looked well, healthy and strong as ever and with an army of demons there to attest to the man’s power and skill. Seeing Isaac here after so long brought a sliver of hope that Hector hadn’t realized he’d been still looking for. 

Hector smiled at the sight, finding himself so utterly relieved because he had thought Isaac to be dead. No, they hadn’t been friends but if Isaac lived, if Dracula’s most loyal Forgemaster still walked the earth then maybe,  _ maybe _ Dracula did as well? It wouldn’t be the first time these vampire assholes had lied to him. Either way, Isaac was a survivor and Hector should have known better than to write him off.

“Hector, Go back to your tower.” Lenore’s voice held no room for argument and yet Hector didn’t move. The smile faded from his lips as he clued into the tense situation, was Isaac here to attack the castle? Had Dracula sent him? Was Isaac here to save him? Certainly, Isaac wasn’t the type for such sentiment, not unless Dracula himself had ordered him to do so. So Hector reasoned that the vampire must be alive, somewhere, watching...

But even as Hector looked through the metal gate at Isaac, hoping for something good he knew something was wrong. The way the Forgemaster was staring at him dashed all such aspirations that Isaac was here to help. He had not been sent by Dracula. That look in Isaac’s eyes spoke as clearly as the man’s words. Dracula was truly dead and it was all Hector’s fault.

“Hello, betrayer.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger! Sorry not sorry, lol.
> 
> With the introduction of other main characters it seemed like a good place to transition into the next book, since things are going to be switching up from just Hector/Lenore drama. The second work in this series will be covering Isaac’s appearance in Styria and what that means for everyone there. But it also is going to bring us up to date on what’s happening with Sypha, Trevor and Alucard in Wallachia. It’s very much what I think S4 could end up being (with mild personal indulgences lol).
> 
> That said, with the Carpal Tunnel issue and certain characters causing shenanigans (Isaac <_<) I’m going to take a little break in posting between these books so that I can smooth out some details and not strain myself. 
> 
> I previously wrote a one-shot prequel called, “Violent Beginnings,” That I’ll post on November 6th so that you have something to read in the meantime. 
> 
> Book two will be called, “Fury of the Scorned,” And the first chapter will be posted November 13th.
> 
> I’ll have it all attached to my series called, “Canis Major.”
> 
> So keep an eye out for those and I'll chat with you in the comments in the meantime!!!
> 
> Special Thanks to GamerGamii and NothingTea, you've been amazing betas and convinced me to share this fic with the world. Best Hype-peeps ever. Seriously, there were points when I didn't think this was good enough to post T_T So Big Thanks to these two for getting me started.
> 
> Ps: Please comment and Kudos <3 it keeps me inspired to write more! Plus you lot are amazing and I love hearing your thoughts!


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